


I Didn't Mean To Fall (In Love)

by writingramblr



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Body Worship, Canon Compliant, Credence Barebone Crying During Sex, Credence Barebone Needs a Hug, Daddy Kink, Double Penetration, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feminization, M/M, Multi, Oral Sex, Original Percival Graves Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Pet Names, Polyamory Negotiations, Post-Movie(s), Protective Tina Goldstein, Slow Burn, Smut, Threesome - F/M/M, but - Freeform, but then, eventually, graves shushing during sex, implied infidelity, me writing het what, queenie MEDDLES A LOT, time period accurate pet names bitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-16 05:18:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11247102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: After he's recovered from everything, returning to work seems like the best course of action. Percival Graves is not the same man he was before Grindelwald, but he's trying.Tina can see things she never noticed before, and all it does is make her more curious. At the encouragement of her sister, she ends up asking him out.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whileyoustillcan (L_M_Biggs)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_M_Biggs/gifts), [Funkspiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Funkspiel/gifts).



> semi -late birthday present, and also mainly inspired by notes by LM_Biggs.  
> thanks bb you rock.  
> also inspired by convos with Funk, and a post she made agesss ago about a percy in glasses http://funkzpiel.tumblr.com/post/160002042944/

She was granted reinstatement at the request and behest of the President, of all people. Because of that, Tina found herself on the verge of smiling pointedly at Abernathy, with an ‘ _ I Told You So _ ,’ clinging to the tip of her tongue every morning, up until the day she actually crossed paths with the Director. The man himself, the returned real Percival Graves, who made his own coffee now had changed. He was thinner, his hair held more silver than brown and was no longer a perfect coif, with shadows beneath his eyes that revealed how well he didn’t sleep. Paranoia clung to him like a cologne, and she wondered, would he ever really be the same?

He’d been found stuffed inside his own closet, locked up away a dozen feet from being able to call for help to a neighbor, and yet, the man wasn’t bitter. He didn’t seem angry at anyone but himself, and simply wrought with exhaustion. She’d run into him about three days after he’d been back, and he’d actually  _ apologized _ to her.

He’d obviously heard about how Grindelwald had sent her to die, a sentence not befitting the crime, not at all, and she’d brushed him off, told him she knew, well, she should have  _ known _ , that it had never been him. 

There should have been the first hint that he was not himself, the kind and gentle manner with which  _ he _ spoke to her, because he wanted something, he’d wanted her quiet and docile.

The real Director Graves was not a kind or sociable or manipulative man, he was a strong one, and he was a man who got the job done.

Justice was all that mattered to him, not societal niceties.


	2. Making It Work

It wasn’t a handful of days later that Tina met him again, making his own coffee, and she realized it was actually tea. Green tea.

“Sir, don’t you drink black coffee?”

She wasn’t worried he’d been taken over again, but she was startled by the sudden change. The Director looked over to her, finding her staring, he must have been perplexed she even noticed, she supposed. So she smiled tentatively, and he did as well, strangely. It didn’t hurt his appearance at all, if that mattered. Though it really didn’t.

So why was her heart flip flopping at the sight?

“Caffeine isn’t… good for me.”

“No?”

The man’s mouth remained lined, even as the smile faded,

“It’s merely force of habit to drink something hot in the mornings. Otherwise I’d start my morning off with iced tea. Or perhaps lemonade.”

“Oh.”

It was all she could manage, as she gripped the cup housing her own coffee, and they stood there, silently and awkward, as the moment dragged on. Before anyone could come in and disturb the peaceful calm, Tina stumbled over her thought, only to find Director Graves speaking at the same time.

“Would you ever-”

“Could I possibly-”

Tina felt her cheeks warming, and she dropped her eyes to somewhere around the black patent leather of her shoes, “Uh sorry.”

“You go ahead.”

He had gotten closer, impossibly, in that spare moment, and he now watched her with earnest curiosity, something she knew she’d never seen on his face… ever.

Tina worried the inside of her cheek, till it hurt,

“Dinner. I’d like to have dinner with you. I know you must not be seeing anyone… at least, I hope not, and-”

Director Graves looked as if she’d struck him across the face, and for a few heart stopping seconds, Tina wondered if she needed to start drafting her resume up, or expect a raven at lunchtime with her letter of termination, then he sighed, as the world lurched back into motion.

“Tina, thank you. I’m not sure what the flavor of rumors are today, but you are correct. I think Sally’s diner will do. Does friday evening, around seven work for you?”

She’d been bracing for a ‘ _ no _ ,’ polite or not, and was left unmoored in the wake of his suggestion, so she could only nod, and then blink in shock after him.

Queenie mouthed ‘ _ Good job _ ’ at her when they passed each other in the hall, and for the second time in about twenty years, Tina felt a blush warming her cheeks.

To say now the rest of the week passed in a blur would have been a lie, it was more like a stifled stuttering, a dance only half of the pair knew, and Tina went through all the motions, greeting the new trainees, even nodding politely to Abernathy, without hardly realizing what she was doing. The President herself couldn’t keep Tina from counting the days, the hours, the minutes. She had a date with Percival Graves.

The Director had accepted her ridiculous proposal for dinner.

He was practically a war hero himself, as much as Newt’s brother was. Though, even Theseus Scamander had never needed to survive torture from an enemy. 

What if it was all an elaborate prank? Why else would he agree to go out with her?

Queenie could sense the nervousness rolling off her in waves even without her incredible gift, as she helped Tina curl her hair with a charm, and ensured her lipstick was charmed not to bleed from eating or drinking. 

“There. You’re perfect. If he does anything stupid, I’ll hex him.”

Queenie sounded fierce, but still looked her usual angelic self, and Tina found herself smiling sheepishly.

“He’s been through enough. I don’t think that’s necessary, but I appreciate the thought.”

“Run along now. Don’t be afraid to have fun. He’s a very handsome suitor after all.”

Tina didn’t need anyone to tell her twice. She’d heard all the rumors and gossip, and she was shaking as she walked down the steps, to wait for Percival Graves to apparate at the end of her block, to be able to walk her to the cafe.

The setting sun kissed all the buildings differently, and shone off the bricks, even the greystone, beautifying everything it touched. Even when the air collapsed and then exhaled, revealing the man, dressed elegantly as always, Tina still felt a hint of butterflies. Sunlight winked off of his glasses, clinging to the end of his nose, and his blue scarf, probably silk, was fluttering in the night air.

“Miss Goldstein, you look lovely this evening.”

Tina was nearly too caught up in her ogling to reply, as he held out his arm, offering it to her to take, she accepted it, and tried to form a coherent thought.

He just looked so… different.

Still the same as his usual impeccable style, but, somehow softer.

“I didn’t know that you wore glasses…” She trailed off, and the man frowned slightly, before he seemed to remember them, and reached up to tug them off, slipping them into a hidden pocket of his jacket.

“I don’t usually, these are for reading. I meant to present a flawless appearance to you. Forgive me.”

His smile told her he was merely joking, but Tina suspected there was an element of truth to it. He was trying to maintain the illusion of perfect control, and she didn’t blame him, not a bit.

Dinner was pleasant, delicious, and the conversation skirted the edges of polite and stifled. Tina was considering ordering a cup of coffee, maybe a hint of brandy, but then the Director’s hand was bracing over hers, a calloused fingertip accidentally tickling the inside of her wrist, and all her senses narrowed into that one bit of contact, thoughts focused on that alone.

“Tina… I am not sure what you’ve heard around MACUSA, but the whole,  _ love-them-then-leave-them _ , the impenetrable walls, bullshit, is just that. I think… Grindelwald may have made more of an impression than anyone will admit. He just so happened to look like me.”

Tina’s eyes widened, and she hastened to explain, to excuse him,

“Oh sir! I never thought that. I just didn’t really believe you could ever-”

He was holding her hand now on purpose, as his thumb rubbed over the back of her knuckles,

“Before, it wouldn’t have been acceptable really. But now, I couldn’t give a damn. I admire you greatly, Tina. I’d be very grateful if you’d allow me to take you out again.”

She hadn’t even noticed him paying the check, and in truth, she wasn’t in a fit state to fight him for it, since her first paycheck since being reinstated hadn’t cleared. Queenie had been responsible for much of their bills while Tina had been suspended. She couldn’t wait to be able to pay her sister back and have that weight off her chest.

The man was already helping her into her coat, and the way his hands caressed down her arms causing her to fight back a shiver, made her wonder, made her want. 

They’d danced around more sensitive topics of conversation, simply because she was unsure how much to ask about, she didn’t know what was fair for her to  _ want _ to know. After they’d been walking in relative silence down the sidewalk, she finally blurted out,

“Do you really want to waste-”

Percival Graves, the original, the  _ only _ , was now putting a finger to his lips, shushing her, and shaking his head.

“Stop. Tina. No moment spent is wasted. Not anymore, and certainly not with you. I had a lovely time, I just hope I didn’t bore you?”

“No sir, never.”

Her voice bled earnestness, and in truth, she rather hoped he might be a bit more daring, and kiss her goodnight. 

Right there.

In the middle of the street, where anyone could see the two of them. The sudden desire for such a thing shocked her.

More likely, it would be where Queenie could spot them, if she was leaning out the window to spy on her.

“Please, Tina. Call me Percival.”

He smiled, so gently, it would have been a crime  _ not _ to have kissed him. 

Tina stepped in to close the final inches between them, and just pecked her lips onto his.

 

He blinked at her, shock more than evident on his face, and her heartbeat thundered in her ears, as she wondered if she’d yet again misread things.

Then his arm wove around her waist, strong and warm even through her coat, and she was pulled flush to him, pressed right into his firm chest,

“Tina, is this what you want?”

She barely nodded, when he kissed her, proper and lingeringly, and her eyes fluttered shut at last.

 

 

* * *

 

Tina Goldstein had always been a bright spark, and a promising Auror, constantly sticking out in Percival’s mind, with her reports full of unnecessary but amusing comments, and sometimes more than a little skirting of the laws. 

He’d done the exact same thing when he’d been her age, starting out at MACUSA.

It was precisely why Seraphina was President, and he wasn’t.

He hadn’t even been able to condemn her, to agree with the President’s decision, when he’d gotten word of Tina’s demotion. The fact of the matter was, she’d broken the law, and she’d put them all at risk, yet, and  _ yet _ , he found himself following after her. Asking after what she had been doing to become demoted.

The loose ends or end rather, which had been completely accidental as it turned out, had been a single no-maj that had evaded obliviation, then turned into something else entirely. Percival had been utterly blindsided by the Second Salemite boy, and even worse, lost focus just long enough to be defeated by Grindelwald before he could even begin to draft a report on the organization’s activities.

Instead, the boy had then been turned into the pawn of a madman, and Percival had spent the better part of a month staring at the same four walls, the dreaded silence of which had only been broken by visits from the man himself.

All of that fell away, and he returned to the moment, to the important thing, the fact that was, Tina Goldstein, in his arms, under the attention of his less than platonic interest.

She felt small, delicate, a touch fragile even, under his hands, before he pressed closer, licked against the hot seam of her lips, and was graciously allowed to deepen the kiss. Then, oh, and then she made a sound, as her hands tightened on the lapels of his jacket, forcing him to realize that maybe, just maybe, he  _ wasn’t  _ as prepared as he thought.

The way she made him feel was dangerous, and just a little bit like playing with fire. Fuck the difference in positions, now they were closer to being equals in MACUSA than they would ever be again. He wasn’t going to  _ waste _ a single moment of his second chance, not on his life.

“I’d invite you up, but I think that would be a bit, uh, hasty.”

Also there was the matter of her sister, her roommate...

They had parted, just long enough for Tina to murmur the words that nearly stopped his heart. 

Percival blinked down at her, dazed, and found her lips were pinker now, despite the lack of rouge, thanks to their kissing.

“You’re welcome to stop by my brownstone. For a night cap of course.”

He stuttered, honest to Mercy, and he saw a twinkle in her eye.

“Are you sure?”

He’d never been more certain of anything in his life, and nodding made her smile widen.

There was no need to let go of her, so he swiveled on the spot, thinking of home, only home, and perhaps the crackle of the fire, and the glow of the moonlight on the curtains.

They landed in the living room, and he took the way Tina stumbled into him as a compliment, or perhaps his disapparating side-along had simply gotten rougher, without him noticing.

“So, coffee or tea?”

Tina stepped back, and started shucking off her coat, only to return to his side, and then she was sliding her hands under the edges of his own,

“Whiskey, if you’ve got it.”

She breathed against his neck, right after pulling off his scarf, and setting it aside, guiding it into a perfect coiled fold with a wordless spell.

Percival didn’t know how simple household charms could manage to make her so appealing, but they did. Unconscious sensuality was the best kind, he decided, to him at least.

“I do. Scotch also.”

He did worry that liquor would only make him want to do things he might regret on Monday, so he held back, sipping slowly from his glass, while Tina drank hers in a handful of swallows, every movement of her pale throat threatening to stir at his long neglected libido.

“Did it hurt?”

Tina’s voice was low, soft, almost a whisper, and she was staring over at him, almost a foot away on the couch, eyes liquid and dark as pitch in the firelight.

Percival smiled tightly, unsure if it was a lead-up to a joke, or a pun, or what, and merely asked,

“What?”

“Knowing we’d failed you? Believed a lie for so long?”

Oh, right for the jugular. Tina wasn’t holding anything back, and he dimly wondered if it was the booze, or just... her becoming comfortable around him.

He reached up to loosen his tie, finding the room trying to close in around him, while dark spots formed in front of his eyes, blotting out the fire, her long legs, and the glass clutched in his own hand.

“I think I’d always been too cold with people. Pushed away friends rather than collect them. It’s my own fault. I’d rather let them talk about me, than get to know me.”

That was the same lie he’d been parroting for days, every time Seraphina tried to bring it up, he deflected, and threw the guilt back on himself, making her throw her hands up and walk away, not bothering to argue with him, again, and again, and  _ again. _

“Percival… you know that’s not true. People  _ admire _ you. They could come to adore you rather than speak of you in hushed tones. It’s really, up to you. But it’s not your fault. If it wasn’t for Queenie, I’d be just as cold and distant as you, maybe worse.”

“You’re not cold or distant. You’re more like a beacon in a snowstorm.”

Percival answered without thinking, reaching for her in a moment of clarity, and she was half on top of him in a split second, rubbing her cheek against his, kissing his jawline, humming against him.

His hands braced on her waist, the slippery slide of navy velvet so painfully soft under his skin.

“Percival, you’re all of our hero. All of us admire you.”

“Even you?”

He smiled, but it hurt as much as a frown, and she nodded, pulling back to cup his face in her hands, before she kissed him properly, bittersweet and cool from the whiskey, desperate enough to make him answer with a groan, and a tightening of his fingers on her hips.

“Especially me.”

The longer they remained like that, wrapped up in each other, the less Percival wanted to let her go home. He didn’t even want to fuck her exactly, he just wanted to fall asleep beside her, holding her, to know he wasn’t alone, at least for one night.

“Will you stay with me?”

 

He asked her, lips against her neck, as she shivered, and nodded, he staggered to his feet and carried her to his room.

Collapsing onto the bed, letting her land on top of him, giggling somewhat, he realized he felt lighter inside than he could remember, even since before.

It was a something he never wanted to forget the feel of.

 

* * *

 

Sunlight woke her, warmth kissing her face, more gently than anyone’s lips could, and Tina stirred, turning around on the bed, coming face to shoulder with Percival Graves. She stifled her gasp just in time, as she realized how utterly disarming he looked, lost in repose, dreaming still, his cheek pressed to his pillow, with a shadow of stubble on his chin and the other side of his face.

Her fingers itched to push back the messy strands of grey brown hair spilling onto his forehead, and so she gave in, after a moment's hesitation, stroking a hand down the nape of his neck, and then snuggling closer, just for the hell of it. His arm shifted, curving around her waist, and she knew he was awake too.

“G’morning Tina.”

She flushed as she noticed that somehow she’d gotten her dress off, or he’d gotten her out of it before drifting off, and so all she had on beneath his hand was a scrap of black silk. He was still clad in his dress shirt and pants, which would all be dreadfully wrinkled now.   
“Percival. You’re pretty good with wandless magic, you know that?”

He hummed, and pressed a kiss to her temple, before withdrawing his hand, and rolling over onto his back.

“I never intended to get you undressed, nor did I want to ravish you. I did suspect you would be more comfortable sleeping, while not in your evening attire. Was I correct?”

Tina pressed her lips together, noting mild soreness, likely from so much kissing,

“I seem to recall a drunken mumble along the lines of  _ ‘I’m not gonna fuck you Tina, but I’ll sleep with you,’ _ but I could be wrong.”

Percival clapped a hand to his face, groaning behind his palm.

“Oh Mercy Lewis. I didn’t really say that out loud, did I?”

Tina hummed in affirmation, and he exhaled slowly, before lowering his hand, and turning to fix her with an honest plea in his eyes,

“Don’t tell anyone I said that.”

“Oh, Percival, I wouldn’t. I don’t feed office gossip. That’s Queenie’s job. Noticing I didn’t come home last night will be… quite the juicy bit.”

The Director’s eyes widened, and she smiled,

“It’s all right. I mean, they already think the worst of me, they just can’t say anything because the President likes me now.”

“Nonsense. I won’t allow that. If anyone talks shit about you, I’ll suspend them.”

He shifted onto his side, and then his palm was burning into her skin, splayed over her stomach, fingers twitching over the silk,

“What if we gave just a little bit of truth to the rumors?”

Tina’s heart shouldn’t have been skipping beats that early in the morning, but she couldn’t look away from him, not for all the dragots in the national vault.

“Oh?”

His hand drifted higher, skittering just over one slowly puckering nipple, and her breath caught.

“Don’t make me beg for the chance to make a beautiful woman come, Tina.”

“Oh. Okay.”

In a split second, he’d surged forward and over her body, kissing her soundly, as his hand moved with renewed purpose, teasing her until she arched her back, accidentally grinding up against him, as he pressed down, her legs fell open to him, so that he could properly slot his hips between them.

Now  _ he _ was the breathless one, and she squeaked the instant she felt his cock, hot and hard against her thigh.

“Do you mind if I take this off?”

“Please.”

Her voice was just rough from sleep still, that was what she told herself, watching as the black silk parted under his fingers, magic effortlessly vanishing it as it slipped off her skin, and goosebumps erupted over her stomach, everywhere he touched her, then he put his mouth to a hipbone, and her vision whited out.

She didn’t even realize she was so sensitive, much less right there, hardly anywhere special, until she felt him chuckling against her, scratchy stubble tickling her skin, and he moved down, her hands found his head, fingers curling into his already messy hair,

“What are you doing?”

“Something I think will more than suffice.”

His voice was a little muffled by her inner thigh, and then he couldn’t speak at all, because his mouth was making contact between her legs, and his  _ tongue _ was pressing into the slickness of her folds, places she’d barely even touched herself at. How…?

Tina couldn’t think beyond just feeling, just letting Percival’s strong hands brace her legs apart, and his lips and tongue worked over her cunt until she thought she’d died, she shook so badly. As her heartbeat returned to normal, she could feel Percival kissing back up her stomach, and sides, and a palm covered one of her breasts, stroking gently, while his mouth was hot and wet over the other, as he slowly returned to her neck and then was pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“Good?”

“Any better and I’d be scattered to the wind.”

She craved him now, feeling how he throbbed against her thigh, with so much of her bare skin still exposed, she felt like a live wire, and her hands twitched, fingers wrapping around his bicep, trying in vain to focus her thoughts enough to undress him, but he seemed content for the moment, simply rutting against her thigh.

“You’re lovely, like this. I think, I’d like to do it again. If you would.”

“Yes. What about you?”

Finally she mustered the strength to palm over his groin, and the moan that escaped him was enough to send a shiver down her spine. Oh, she wanted to hear much more of  _ that _ , thank you very much.

Percival Graves was a mere mortal after all, slave to sensation just as much as the next man.

His eyes were closed, and his lips, pink and swollen, parted at once.

“I’m okay… really I am, I can take care of it later in the shower…”

“Get on your back, sir.”

She put her hand on his shoulder, and pushed, guiding him into position, and another kiss ensued, while she did her best to undo as many buttons as she could, without magic, before getting frustrated, and just yanking it open, sending the last few scattering off the bed. His trousers were much easier to get out of the way, and within seconds his cock was in her hand, slick at the head, making her mouth water.

She’d never done such a thing in her life, much less wanted to, but now, she had something to strive for, and the look in his eyes, well, it helped more than he probably meant it to.

He was still skinnier than she expected, beneath his well tailored clothes, as his ribs showed a touch more than they should have, pink puckered skin of scars, healed as best they could be, received special attention from her, so that by the time she was near enough to put her mouth on his waistline, his breath had started getting ragged, and he had put a tentative hand to the nape of her neck.

“It’s all right. You can grab my hair if you need to.”

She glanced up at him, and saw a hint of desperation in his eyes, the way he’d looked at her right after she’d stolen the kiss, and before he’d made it definite. It was addictive.

He tasted salty, bitter, something like she imagined a pearl might, if harvested to be dined. She swallowed around his length, and his fingers grazed her scalp, but he didn’t hurt her.

His thighs trembled beneath her hands, and she would have smiled if it was possible with a cock down her throat.

He thrust into her a couple times, and she pulled back just enough to avoid choking, letting him chase after what felt good, guiding her as best as he could.

When he came, with a muffled shout hidden behind his fist, she swallowed again, and again, keeping him on her tongue until he tapped her shoulder, and she let his softening length slide out of her mouth, pressing her lips together at once. Though she knew she couldn’t have done badly, she was still concerned about how he would react. What would he say?

 

She needn’t have worried.

 

* * *

“Tina… that was incredible.”

He was still shuddering through aftershocks, laying flat on his back, willing his heart to stop racing, to keep further mindless compliments from slipping off his tongue.

“Should we go shower now?”

Percival hummed,

“That’s probably a good idea.”

What wasn’t a good idea was continuing things in the shower, and yet, Tina completely naked, dripping wet, was just irresistible. He kissed her first, letting the warm spray hit against his back, before she was breathless, gasping, and whispering that he could always just bend her over here, press her into the wall, and put the rumors to bed properly.

“If you want.”

She smiled at him and then turned around, practically wiggling her plush little ass at him, and Percival, well, he was only so stoic.

He leaned down and murmured a spell for steadiness and carefully put an arm around her waist, pulling her back, flush to him, so he could line his renewed erection up, and begin to push inside her.

She gasped out his name, like a prayer, and he closed his eyes, resting his forehead against her shoulder, lips pressed to her skin at the nape of her neck. 

The short dark hair, curling against her chin from the back was under his hand as he started to move against her, his other hand braced on her hip.

Percival found his thoughts drifting, even as his orgasm began to build, and a flash of a memory skipped across his mind’s eye, before he could stop himself.

_ Credence _ .

His movements stuttered to a halt, and he bit his tongue as he came, to keep from saying the wrong thing, before he reached around to put a hand on Tina, rubbing against her clit until he felt her trembling, and she gasped aloud as she climaxed.

 

“Should I go scrounge for breakfast?”

“Please do. My best kept secret is that I can’t cook for shit.”

He smiled guiltily over at her as he toweled off by hand, and she charmed her hair, before he received a look of astonishment in return.

“Percival Graves, grown man, proclaimed bachelor, cannot fend for himself?”

Despite the fact she’d just had his cock in her a few moments ago, he found himself blushing at that dig.

“Okay, now I wish I hadn’t said anything.”

Tina patted a hand over his chest, before leaning over to peck a kiss to his cheek,

“Not to worry. I’ve had expert training from my sister. You will be well fed this morning.”

It was all horribly domestic, and mildly terrifying, walking out of his bedroom, wearing just a bathrobe, to see Tina Goldstein at his kitchen stove, re-dressed only in her black silk slip, with perfectly styled hair, smelling like his shampoo preparing what smelled suspiciously like bacon and eggs, while two mugs of coffee sat gently steaming on the counter. Well one was full, the other was just appeared to be-

“I thought you’d want to prepare your own.”

Percival nodded and ignored the little flip that his stomach did at her consideration, instead, he tugged on his collar and fixed his weak black coffee, two sugars, took a long sip, and turned to find her watching him with a quirk to her pink lips.

“What?”

She blinked, and then glanced back to the pan where bacon was still sizzling.

“You just seem different… here. Like this.”

“How so?”

She shrugged.

“Just, _ more _ . Quieter, and soft.”

“The office gossip is incorrect? Alert the presses.”

Tina pouted and then shook her head.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Once the food was plated and they were sitting down, Percival took another long sip of coffee and then started eating. The silence yawned between them, but instead of being awkward, it was comfortable, no unnecessary or idle chatter was filling the gap.

After he started the dishes to cleaning themselves, Tina left the room to redress completely, and as she pulled on her coat, he was graced with another smile.

“Let’s go for lunch Monday.”

He nodded, and became thrown off balance when she almost jumped into his arms, hugging him goodbye and kissing him soundly, before she disapparated mid step outside his apartment door.

Percival stared after her for far too long, then walked back into his brownstone, fumbling with his bathrobe ties, and walking into his closet to stare down his wardrobe. He was starting to feel the aches and pains that only come from unexpected sexual activity, and he now had a reason to look forward to Monday. That was a rare thing. It didn’t erase the minor guilt he felt for having pictured the nomaj boy while he’d been fucking her. It was unforgivably rude.

By the time Sunday night rolled around, he realized that it was why there was a gnawing feeling in his gut, a twinge of guilt every time he thought of himself trying to be happy, to enjoy going out with Tina.

All because of the kind and sweet, and fragile young man who he’d failed, who he let down.

_ Credence. _

The one time he’d been tempted to bend the law, to toss aside everything he knew and held dear, in the name of saving a life, of freeing a soul, and he’d let down one more person. Perhaps that was why he’d been so angry with himself for losing to Grindelwald. Because it wasn’t just his life and career on the line anymore, it had become so much bigger than him. In the end, the young man had died, and though Tina had said it wasn’t his fault, that his imposter even tried to save him, if only for his own selfish reasons, Percival still grieved.

Credence had been just another casualty in the name of secrecy, and unfairly so, he’d been full to the brim with magic, so much that Percival had suspected it from the start, but never had the chance to double check, to confirm. He found his eyes stinging with tears as he watched the fire dying in the grate, and it was ridiculous, foolishness, the idea that he shouldn’t be allowed to be happy with Tina since he’d already ruined one person’s life so spectacularly, yet, it clung to him, following him to work like some sort of specter, a ghost of a failure that hadn’t even been his fault.

He barely heard Abernathy greeting him, nor noticed that Seraphina’s Patronus summoned him to a meeting. 

Lunchtime passed without a word, and he knew he should apologize to Tina, but his head ached and his heart just seemed to refuse to flutter at the sight of her. A knock on the door startled him, but his wards told him it was just her.

“Sir? Is everything alright?”

“Yes of course. I didn’t have time for lunch I’m afraid.”

“That’s okay. We can meet tomorrow.”

He sighed, lifting his head from his hands as he sat at his desk, he hadn’t been hiding in his office, not at all, he met her gaze, finding her dark eyes locked on his, concern emanating from them.

“This is a bad idea, isn’t it?”

“Or a very good one.”

“Tina, I think you know.”

 

* * *

 

Percival Graves had very few chinks in his armor, and Tina knew of at least one of them. Only because it was exactly the same one as hers. They had both only ever wanted to protect Credence Barebone. The Director had taken it harder, the news of the boy’s apparent death.

That was why, when she received the raven, and the call to the hospital to confirm an identity match on a boy who’d been discovered bleeding in an alleyway in Brooklyn, she didn’t tell him.

She went alone in the dead of night, with Queenie’s blessing, to find the boy, the former obscurial, unconscious in a hospital bed.

It was as if he’d been torn to shreds and sloppily sewn back together. The sheer amount of agony he must have experienced from so many spells hitting him at once made Tina furious, and she took his cold hand in her own, to find them shaking, not his.   
“Credence, I swear, we will not fail you. Not again.”

Newt told her what happened.

What  _ must _ have.

The obscurus was destroyed, the parasite that had been infesting Credence’s body for years, leeching away at his power and his soul, was gone. His own magic was feeble, but still there. It needed tending, like a lone tree planted in unstable ground, very little rain or sun to help it along. Tina agreed to take him in without a thought, until she realized there was no way, her apartment building was only for women. She would have to tell Percival, to ask him if he would possibly consider-

“No, it’s fine. He’ll accept.”

Breaking the good, earth shattering news was the next step, and she decided to do it over lunch, when they finally met, which wasn’t until thursday, and Percival looked rather like he hadn’t slept in just as many days.

“I offered your house to someone. For recovery.”

She blurted it out before she could stop herself or say it more kindly, and he frowned,

“What?”

“It’s Credence, sir. They found him, near death in an alleyway, soaking and shivering, but still breathing. Newt had been tracking him, as best he could with his other obscurus’ power level as a baseline to search for.”

Percival’s drinking glass exploded under his hand, and Tina winced, but the man was already healing himself, dragging his own wand across his palm.

“Are you  _ sure _ it’s him?”

Tina bit her lip,

“Quite sure. He asked about you, actually. He seemed to suspect it hadn’t been you for a while, but the subway… he heard some of it. Not everything, but enough.”

She had never seen Percival look worried, or nervous, not really, so it was all new to her, watching as he processed the information.

“So he’s going to stay with me? For how long?”

“As long as you think is necessary. Newt’s going to arrange it so he could accompany him back to England, when he’s ready. The wizarding school there has a very understanding headmaster. Unfortunately Ilvermony just refuses to train muggle borns… don’t get me started. Sorry sir.”

Percival shook his head, and his eyes returned to his plate,

“Don’t worry. I agree with you on more than you know. Certainly the boy is welcome to stay with me as long as he likes.”

“I would have offered my place, but with Queenie and me, there’s just not enough room. Besides, I think a strong male presence in his life will be more welcome.”

“Tina… I hardly think I’m the best role model to provide a good example for such a troubled young man… but I do have plenty of guest space. The less we have to interact, is for the better, I believe.”

Tina had a strange feeling that there was more to it than he was letting on, especially considering certain things; like how easily Grindelwald had been able to use Percival’s face to gain Credence’s trust, but she just nodded, and thanked him. The rest of their lunchtime passed with little chatter besides idle things like the weather, and when they returned to part ways at the elevator, she gave him a small smile which he did not return. He probably had a lot on his mind, she reasoned.

Queenie sensed her worry when they both landed back at home, and was behind her, massaging her shoulders without a word, until Tina felt relaxed enough talk it out.

“He’s hiding something about Credence, you think?”

“I do. He got too quiet, and shut down the second I mentioned it. Or do you think he’s just mad about me offering his home without asking him?”

“I don’t know Teenie. It could be either thing, knowing him. I sure don’t think he dislikes the boy. Why, how could anyone? He’s so sweet. Poor thing just needs to recover, peace and quiet will do him good. He’d be overwhelmed here, because I wouldn’t know how to keep my jabber-jawing to a minimum. The Director will be a perfect host, don’t you worry.”

Tina sighed, before leaning back in her chair,

“I just don’t want him to think we’re sending him away with Newt. I mean, I don’t think he’s ever left the city, much less the country. He’s scared enough as it is.”

“It’ll be okay.”

Tina patted her sister’s hand, still braced on her shoulder, and felt her squeeze back reassuringly. The best thing for Credence right now would be to get him well enough to be out of the hospital, and somewhere he could be safe. Percival Graves might not have been the most sociable person, but he would protect the boy like himself. 

 


	3. Pretending Otherwise

Percival hadn’t known he could sweat out his hands before the boy showed up on his doorstep, looking as if he’d been through a war and survived due to sheer dumb luck, but he stepped aside and ushered him into his brownstone without a word, receiving only a jerky nod and a mumbled hello in reply. He hadn’t been exactly dreading the day that Credence would be coming to stay with him, but he hadn’t been looking forward to it very much either, though Tina had constantly mentioned that to her, the boy was very grateful for his hospitality. He told the boy where he could find everything from his guest room, and then retreated to the living room, in front of the fire, cracking open his book and pouring himself a generous serving of whiskey, eager to act like nothing had changed.

His new guest didn’t make an appearance for any mealtime until breakfast the next morning, leaving Percival alone for decidedly as long as possible. He glanced up from his newspaper to see Credence hovering uncertainly in the doorway, and he lowered it with a resounding crunch.

“Come in, have a seat. What would you like me to fix you? Eggs, toast? Both?”

The boy’s eyes skittered from the stove back to the table, and then barely grazed his own, before dropping onto the floor.

“Just toast is fine. Thank you Mister Graves.”

Now that wouldn’t do, he got far too much formality at the office to really want anything of the sort at his own home. 

Percival swallowed thickly, and lifted a hand to begin preparing toast and a cup of hot cocoa as well, all the while noting how Credence seemed to be afraid to look directly at him.

“Please, you’re my guest. Just call me Percival. Percy, if you really must.”

At that, the boy finally glanced back up, and he noted how wide his dark eyes were, framed by the heavy blunt fringe of his bangs.

Surely something could be done with magic to fix that dreadful hairstyle? Unless he actually preferred the bowl cut?

“Oh no sir, I couldn’t. Informality is not polite among strangers.”

Percival blinked,

“Credence, I know this is awkward for both of us, but I insist.”

_ ‘Let me repair some of the damage that monster caused.’ _

He remained silent on the latter, but hoped that his earnestness showed on his face.

“Alright Mis-” The boy paused, swallowing, and then continued at a lower pitch, “Percival. I’d very much like some toast, and maybe one egg, if I could please?”

“Certainly. Coming right up.”

He set the newspaper down for good, and did as the boy asked, ensuring a pan heated with a little butter and salt, before the sounds and smells of the cooking food filled the silence. He thought he saw the ghost of a smile on the boy’s face as he watched carefully, all that Percival’s magic was currently controlling in the kitchen, and his eyes widened when it was all brought to him, set atop a place mat, steaming gently.

“Enjoy.”

Percival still had a good half of a cup of tea remaining to himself, so he sat with Credence while he ate, and tried to ignore the little sounds that escaped the boy with every bite and swallow. It was as if he’d never had regular food in his life, or at least, perhaps Percival’s groceries were much better than the hospital food he’d endured for the few hours he was there.

So it went, for the next few days, while Percival went off to work on the usual schedule, Credence remained at his home, resting during the daytime, and reading whatever he wanted from the vast library on hand, usually up until he got back from work, and would start to prepare dinner for them. It fell into a comfortable kind of company, and most conversations remained light and meaningless, unless the boy had questions about magic, or the books he’d devoured already couldn’t help, Percival would then answer to the best of his ability.

Every night he would go into his room, shut the door, and breathe easy for the first time all day. He was home, he was safe, and so was the boy. At least he would finally have some more time to himself on weekends.

 

When Credence stumbled out to breakfast looking like a cat left out in the rain minus the wetness one Saturday morning, Percival couldn’t help being curious and confused, before then quickly schooling his face back to the normal serious calm.

“Sleep okay?”

“I think so Mister Graves, thank you.”

He blinked, and then shrugged. Back to formality it was, despite how hard he had tried to insist otherwise,

“What would you like with your coffee?”

Credence looked at him like he had two heads.

Percival cleared his throat,

“Coffee? Instead of hot chocolate or orange juice… I figured you might like to try it?”

“I’ve never had it before. What goes with it?”

“Typically, you could add milk and sugar, or just one.”

Credence stepped in close, and stared down at the mug he had been poured,

“What do  _ you _ usually do?”

Percival swallowed, and didn’t meet his gaze,

“Oh. I tend not to drink it anymore. I prefer tea, myself.” It was far too soon in their… whatever that it was, to go into the things that had led to the momentary separation, Credence’s almost death, and beyond.

“Oh. Okay.”

The conversation had lulled and died in the span of three minutes and Percival was left staring at the counter, long after Credence accepted his mug, began to sip it slowly, having left it black, and then started to munch on his eggs and toast. It had become his habitual breakfast, and only when Percival asked if he’d like to try something different, whether pancakes or waffles, or even just bacon, he usually declined, polite as ever, leaving him mystified. He had been starved his entire life, and now, when he could have anything he wanted, he still denied himself.

Percival himself had yet to decide what he would eat to start off that morning, and with no work, there was no need to rush anything, though he wondered how he could occupy his time, after breakfast, and kindly avoid the boy, so that he won’t feel crowded. Luckily, he was saved from having to do anything at all by a knocking at the door.

The chime in the wards told him it was Tina, and he hoped he didn’t look too frazzled as he ran to answer it.

“Hey.”

“Hey… how are you holding up?”

“Okay I guess… we’re uh, just having breakfast.”

“I see… well if you’re not doing anything tonight, Queenie has offered to look after Credence. So we could have dinner? If you want to…”

Percival eyed her, she looked nervous, as if she was afraid he might say no, though as he glanced to Credence, still melancholy as he munched on his toast, he almost hesitated for that reason alone.

Did he really want to go out with her again?

Were they really going anywhere with their own relationship?

Was there any point to it?

His pathetic crush on the boy was fruitless as well, but at least Tina understood him, she cared about him, and they had  _ some _ chemistry. He didn’t deserve her, he knew it.

“Sure. Yeah that would be lovely. Around seven?”

“Perfect.”

Tina glanced over his shoulder to Credence, and the boy looked up to catch her, giving her a rare half smile.

“I see you’re looking well Mister Barebone.”

“Hello Miss Tina…. I’m feeling better. Thank you.”

He seemed puzzled at the words, but easily warmed up to her nonetheless. Tina gave Percy a final nod, and then walked off down the hall, before disappearing from his sight. 

 

* * *

 

Once inside the restaurant, a corner table was obtained and Tina sat opposite Percival and opened her mouth to ask how his morning went, but he spoke first.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been avoiding you. I hope you won’t think too badly of me.”

“Oh. No Percy, not at all. I just, you seem distracted.”

He nodded, and took a long sip of ice water from the glass in front of him.

“Just trying to work through things with Credence. Everything’s changed having a roommate, I suppose. Not bad but, it’s distracting in a way I didn’t anticipate.”

Tina quirked a brow at him,

“How so?”

Percival looked pained,

“You know I have history with him… we aren’t meeting and interacting for the first time since…”

Tina felt a pang inside her chest,

“Oh.”

What she was feeling wasn’t jealousy, though it did make sense, considering the way the two looked at each other, seemed to  _ dance _ around one another, and in a way, she wondered if she was stepping in the middle of something that ought to be allowed to play out.

“I never would have done anything, you know me, Tina. I put the laws before myself, always. But helping him… rapidly became something less than self serving, and when I asked for his help looking out for the child who might have been the cause of the disturbances…”

He sighed heavily, and looked away, staring out the window, apparently becoming lost in thought, or perhaps, sifting through memories.

“Percy… you know I don’t blame you. I can’t. Credence is just one of those souls that cries out for care. He’s too kind and trusting for his own good. Of course  _ Grindelwald _ took advantage of him.”

Percival shook his head, looking back to her, his eyes shining with something she suspected were tears,

“Beyond getting captured and treated like some sort of… pawn, my deepest regret is that the boy was ever harmed. It’s my fault he was in harm’s way in the first place. If I’d just done my  _ job _ …”

He trailed off, and took a long drink of water again, in favor of alcohol, she noticed, he’d politely refused the wine menu, and seemed to be dutifully eating at his salad and cup of soup. It was like he was trying to purge himself by refusing to give in to any of his vices anymore. Tina suspected it would only last as long as he thought he would need to pay penance, or was living around a young impressionable Credence.

Her heart ached to help him, to assure him that he’d done no more than he could have, that it was all okay now, Credence was fine, he was on the road to recovery, thanks to them both, but her throat closed up, and her tongue remained silent.

In lieu of all that, she reached over, and took his other hand, squeezing as tightly as she dared. He smiled tightly at her,

“I’m sorry. Here we are, supposed to be having a nice dinner, and I’m ruining it with talk. How was your week? How’s your sister?”

Tina smiled, effortlessly in a way. When it came to speaking of her sister or work, since she’d been reinstated, there was actually something to discuss.

“Wonderful. She’s told me she’s fallen in love. I’m hoping with someone new, and decent, that she’s not still pining over that no-maj baker she met during all the chaos.”

“Oh?”

Percival’s cocked brow told her that she might need to tread carefully, but of all people, she trusted him with her family gossip. 

The rest of the evening was spent in a companionable sort, with Tina insisting on saying goodnight at a decent hour, as he had a guest, and she was supposed to be on call that weekend. He kissed her, firmly and with a touch of finality on the lips, which left her with skin tingling all the places he’d touched her, her face, her waist, and the moment his fingers brushed her cheek, tucking back a stray strand of brown that escaped her hair clip.

“Have a good rest of your evening, Tina.”

Queenie was home when she walked in, so she knew that Credence must have fallen asleep a while back, judging by the amount of knitting her sister had gotten done.

“How’d it go Teenie?”

She sighed, 

“He’s got some major baggage. You were right.”

Queenie smiled gently,

“I didn’t say it would be easy, but you would have regretted never going out with him, or being honest with yourself.”

“It’s a touch more complicated than that.”

“Oh.”

The second her sister dipped into her thoughts she frowned, but Queenie retreated gracefully, returning to her perch on the chair in front of the stove.

“Well, certainly seems like you both need someone in your corners as much as that sweetie does.”   
Tina blinked,

“Who?”

“Credence, silly. He’s just so adorable. I could sit and visit with him all week. I sure hope he gets to feeling better soon.”

“Was he not himself?”

Queenie shrugged,

“He just seemed, a bit lonesome. The Director may be the best at his job, but he sure doesn’t know what he’s doing when it comes to playing hostess.”

Tina rolled her eyes.

“This is two men we’re talking about. Surely they can get along without Percy having to pretend he’s housing for some kind of winter retreat?”

Queenie lifted a blonde brow and then quirked half of her mouth,

“I don’t know.”

Tina went off to change and get ready for bed, and she realized she had less of an idea what was going on in either Percy or Credence’s mind than her sister, and she really  _ didn’t _ like that.

* * *

 

 

Credence stayed up long past when he should have, and only truly relaxed into the sheets and against his pillow when he heard Mister Graves shuffle in around eleven thirty. Miss Queenie had been so lovely and kind, he’d hated to lie to her when ten o’clock hit, and he feigned a yawn just to be able to go lay down, and have a moment to his thoughts. Though he knew there was no way anything was going on, or could go on between him and Mister Graves, he still felt a bit ill at the thought of the man and Miss Tina dating.

The curdling in his gut wasn’t normal, nor was it from hunger, it was a wicked thing known as envy, a sin that in the past, he would have prayed and despaired that the Lord might never take from him, but now, he could only wallow in it, and hope it might wear off.

There was no combating sin with magic, just as there was no redemption from it. Credence turned onto his side, and felt hot tears sting at the corner of his eyes, before slipping down his cheeks, no matter how hard he squeezed them shut, they would not cease. He found himself shaking against the bed, and fisting a hand in the sheets to keep from clawing at the pillow, ripping it to shreds of feathers and tatterings of cotton. 

Mister Graves’ furnishings and guest room did not deserve such harsh treatment. By the time he finally fell asleep, the sun had almost begun to rise and birds chirped mockingly at him from outside the shaded windowsill.

Credence did not get out of bed for breakfast, and he realized he’d managed yet another sin,  _ sloth, _ along with a hint of  _ pride _ to mingle with his copious  _ envy _ .

A gentle knocking on the door sounded, and he bit back a groan, turning over to look, as the man himself pushed it open, and grimaced slightly over at him,

“Are you feeling alright Credence? It’s half past noon.”

How could he possibly continue to feel miserable and hold any anger towards the man, who looked upon him with such care, as every inch of his face was etched with concern?

“I’m sorry Mister Graves… I didn’t sleep very well last night… but I am not ill.”

The man moved closer, and Credence tried in vain to shrink further back into the bed, until he was half curled into a lump, and now his eyesight was level with the man’s firmly pressed trousers.

Oh God forgive him.

A hand was gentle on his forehead, fingers caressed over his skin, combing through his hair, and he wanted so very badly to lean into it, but instead he flinched away, and Mister Graves dropped his hand, retreating at once.

“I apologise. I just thought I would check for fever… but if you are merely tired, of course, sleep as long as you wish, there will always be dinner or late lunch for you when you get up. I am sorry for disturbing you.”

Credence swallowed and tried to insist it was fine, he didn’t mind and it wasn’t a disturbance, but before he could even form the words, the door was closing with a soft snap, and Mister Graves was gone.

By the time he actually slinked out of the guest room and walked into the kitchen, the sun was starting to set, and the man was standing in front of the stove, tending something that smelled delicious though highly unfamiliar.

“Ah. Good evening, I trust you’re feeling better?”

Credence hugged his arms tightly around himself, and shrugged, stealing glances at the man the second he smiled to himself and turned back to the food. Mister Graves was using his wand to keep the food cooking evenly; what appeared to be two pieces of meat roasting in a pan with green vegetables and what could have been a halved potato. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, to prevent spatter from oil or whatever was sizzling under the meat, and Credence could see a muscle jump on his arms when he flicked his wrist, and the food all turned over.

“Credence?”

He blinked, and then realized the man had asked him a question and not seen his jerky silent reply from his shoulders.

“I’m, yes. I’m fine.”

“Good, good.”

Mister Graves stepped around him to retrieve plates, to begin dishing out the food, and he was mortified to hear his stomach growl even over the clinking of china.

“Glad you’ve brought an appetite.”

Credence was certain his face could fry an egg, even as he nodded, and caught the tail end of a smile from Mister Graves, before he hastily moved to sit at the table, and prayed quickly over his plate. After a few moments had passed, several bites into his dinner, he found the strength to speak.

“Thank you for cooking for me, I am sorry I was so useless today. I hope I can make it up to you tomorrow. I could make breakfast for us?”

Credence hesitated on his first bite, awaiting Mister Graves’ confirmation.

To his surprise, the man didn’t answer right away, instead, he reached over to tap a finger over the back of his hand, where he had been clutching his fork in a rather forceful manner, and Credence fought to remember to breathe, from that simple point of contact.

“You’re _ not _ useless. You’re not staying with me to provide me with your services. I’m just happy to keep you company. Or rather, give you space if you need it.”

Mister Graves let go of him, and was standing to clear the table, stacking dishes to put to wash in the sink, once again, leaving Credence feeling as if he’d missed out on some sort of opportunity to say more, do more,  _ be  _ more.

He migrated to the living room, and simply plucked up the book he’d left off reading the day before, but he couldn’t force himself to focus on a sentence, or even a word, minutely aware of everything that Mister Graves did, moving around the room, tidying here and there, and then finally settling in his own chair much closer to the fireplace, crossing his legs at the ankle, and resting against the high back.

He turned and caught Credence staring, a few seconds more, and he would have looked back to the book, and the man would never have known.

“Did you have a question about the material Credence?”

He shook his head, and turned a page, even though he’d barely read any of it.

“Thank you, but I’m alright.”

“Very well. I’m afraid I’m rather tired, so I must take my leave. If you need anything, just knock on my door.”

Credence nodded, and then concentrated on the page number, so he wouldn’t watch as the man left to go down the hall. Only when he was gone, did he wonder if the man had been trying to be polite, but he could have said it, could have been blunt, _ ‘Tired because I didn’t sleep all day, like you.’ _

He couldn’t stay up all night again to compensate for his lying abed so long, but there was little choice, for he found his eyes wide open far past midnight, and sleep only dragged him under when the moon was chased away.

He woke up at a decent hour, barely half past eight o’clock, but covered in sweat, panting for breath, as if he’d been running in his dream, and when he rolled over, he realized his skin was tingling from the feverish grippings of arousal. The dampness between his legs wasn’t just sweat, he’d spent himself against his sleep pants. His cheeks burned with shame, and he tried not to panic, before using the cleaning charm he’d learned to help clear away dust from some of the older books in Mister Graves’ library.

He stumbled into the bathroom, and turned on the hot water, stripping out of his itchy pajamas. They might have been clean as his skin, but he still felt dirty, deep down to his bones, from such a shameful act, committed unconsciously. When he emerged from the shower, rubbed raw and pink, he heaved a sigh of relief, feeling slightly better, and upon redressing in a plush bathrobe, which he’d snagged off the back of the bathroom door, he padded out to the kitchen, to find Mister Graves there, finishing up his orange juice, before smiling up at him.

“Good morning. I trust you slept well last night?”

“I… yes.”

The man looked at him strangely for a moment, before moving away, and setting his empty glass in the sink.

“I apologize we cannot greet the day together, but I have a meeting I must attend.”

Mister Graves did appear sorry to be going, though Credence didn’t understand why, the man didn’t owe him his company, yet he appeared wistful as he passed by. He imagined he felt a hint of breeze as the man stepped outside the apartment, and then vanished on the spot.

 

* * *

Wearily, Percival walked back inside his brownstone, feeling as if he needed nothing more besides to kick off his shoes and fall asleep in front of the fireplace, for about the next twelve odd hours, if he could. It seemed the universe had other plans for him, as he passed by the guest room, or rather, what he’d come to consider as Credence’s room in his mind at least, he heard something, like a noise of distress.

He paused, and considered drawing his wand, though the wards had not informed him of any danger, he pressed forward, and nudged open the unlocked door.

Credence could have no reason to lock it, even if he was just sleeping, but apparently, though he might have originally just been napping, he was no longer.

Percival froze at the sight of the boy writhing atop his sheets, clad in just his sleepwear, shirt parted open and exposing his bare chest, while one hand worked under the waistband of his pants, over the obvious tenting of his cock. He wasn’t upset, he was whimpering and moaning little gasps from  _ delight, _ if at a touch almost feverish in pitch. As if he was fighting his own pleasure every step of the way, but then again, knowing his background, he might have been doing just that.

Percival began to step backwards, and eased back out through the door, pulling it shut almost entirely, just shy of latching, but he heard something that made him stop, and his own cock began to thicken in his pants.

_ “M-mister Graves...please…” _

He then let go of the door handle, as if he’d been burned, only to sprint away, to his room inside which he  _ did _ slam the door. He shed his coat and snapped his fingers to banish the rest of his clothing to his closet, before starting up a shower, a bone chillingly cold one, and then he stepped under the spray, he tried to catch his breath.

Witnessing such a thing shouldn’t have made him painfully aroused beyond reason, the boy was his ward, his  _ guest _ , supposed to be under his protection. So what if he enjoyed a touch of afternoon or evening delight when he thought he was alone? But that… that  _ moaning _ of his name, there could be no mistaking it. It meant the boy imagined  _ him _ as he did such a thing.

Percival panted against the side of his arm, braced against the shower wall, and finally gave in to touching himself, mind flooded with images of much more, of Credence’s hair messy from a hand running through it, rather than just the movements of sleep and self pleasure, how he would sound when he finished, plush lips parted and neck bared for marking.

Mercy Lewis, he was so just damned beautiful, and all that time Percival had pretended not to notice, to what end?

Because of Tina?

Perhaps.

A misguided sense of duty.

_ Definitely. _

Oh, he hated himself, even as he came reluctantly a handful of minutes later, spilling between his fingers and washing it away with a lukewarm spray of water as quickly as he could. His knees trembled and his back ached, but at least he wouldn’t be in danger of embarrassing himself too badly at dinner.

The boy had looked so sweet and innocent that morning when he’d appeared at breakfast, clad in just a robe, with hair still damp from a shower, and eyes bleary with sleep, it had pained Percival to have to leave him behind.

Now, at least they could have tonight to share each other’s company after mutually sought after climaxes, and neither would have to be the wiser.

Except Percival, who had a shameful advantage, a horrible secret now to keep from Credence, which he didn’t realize just might eat him alive.

As every smile, every glance, any accidental brush of their fingers made heat crawl down his spine. Eventually his throat closed up, even as the boy murmured to him, asking politely for him to pass the salt, or the bowl of mashed potatoes, and Percival was  _ dying _ inside.

“Are you alright, Mister Graves?”

He squeezed his eyes shut, and shook his head, as little as he could.

“What’s wrong? Is it something I’ve done? Please, forgive me…”

“No, nothing you’ve done Credence. I wish you could use my name. I  _ hate _ the formality like this between us.”

He dared to look over, and found the boy watching him with wide eyes, before consenting with a nod.

“Mi- Percival…did you have a productive day at work?”

“Yes, certainly. Thank you for asking.”

 

The after dinner cleanup was nothing, a flick of the wand and it began itself, so that Percival was free to follow the boy into the sitting room and  _ that _ time, he didn’t take the furthest seat away, in fact, he snagged a book of stories, and purposefully sat as close to Credence as he dared, until their knees were almost touching.

He noticed how the boy swallowed, and eyed the space between them, or rather, the lack thereof, and yet said nothing, but simply leaned back in his seat, and opened his own tome.

“Credence, would you mind if-”

“-Percival, may I read to you?”

He’d been preparing to confess his latent desire to do just that, hear more of the boy’s quiet voice, strengthened by rest and the learning of magic on his own time, but to have Credence ask him, all on his own, why, it was nothing short of a miracle.

He reached over, impulsively, and patted the boy’s knee, 

“Please. I would like nothing more.”

If he hadn’t been hyper aware of everything he’d been doing, or hadn’t known that the boy had  _ any _ such inclinations, he’d not have caught the way his breathing hitched, and his eyes darkened, nor how he looked right to the point of contact at the hand on his knee, before nodding, and then leaning back, opening the book wider, and clearing his throat.

A few minutes passed pleasantly, and Percival thought he might even doze off during the boy’s dulcet tones, when he stopped, and looked over at him, eyes shining in the firelight, a blush coloring his pale skin. He looked a bit like an angel, depicted by someone who saw beauty in religion.

“What is it, Credence?”

“Your eyes, there’s a bit of gold in the brown. I just noticed.”

For some reason, he couldn’t look away from the boy’s lips, despite having such a blatant invitation to stare into his own brown orbs, and he hummed,

“Is that right?”

“Percival…”

His name sounded like a plea, and Credence’s own voice was rougher, almost a rasp, perhaps strained from the reading, or something else entirely.

“Yes, my boy?”

Credence made a noise, somewhere between a squeak and a gasp, before surging forward, book forgotten, fallen to the ground with a thump, as Percival found himself being kissed forcibly. The boy had thrown himself into his arms, and was melting under his touch, the second he lifted his hands to brace upon slender shoulders, he could feel Credence trembling.

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have-”

“Shh-hh. It’s alright. It’s okay.”

“I just always wondered where the difference was… between him and you. I thought, these past few days, I thought maybe I’d imagined it all.”

Percival sighed, and leaned up to press their foreheads together, putting a hand to Credence’s cheek, caressing his face and down the sharp line of his jaw to the delicate curve of his throat,

“Not at all. No. I do care for you. Far more than I should. I always have.”

His palm was damp, and it was not from his sweat, nor nerves, it was tears. Credence, his lovely boy was crying, and he couldn’t have that, no.

Percival gently maneuvered him over, closer still, so that the boy was more in his lap than on the couch, and then kissed him again, slow, but sure, and he could hear the moan vibrate out from Credence’s mouth.

“Please… please…”

“What is it? Anything you ask of me, I am helpless but to grant it.”

Credence broke off the kiss to hug him tighter, his arms wrapped around his shoulders, burying his face against Percival’s neck, 

“No, no, I can’t do that.”

He petted over the boy’s back, feeling along the length of his spine, ridges evident through the layers of his clothing. Still not eating enough, not yet.

“What can’t you do, my boy?”

He felt Credence shudder against him, and oh, that was marvelous. His traitorous libido had spiked, and he was in very real danger of growing hard again, especially with an armful of gorgeous former obscurus.

“I couldn’t ask you to debase yourself.”

He hummed, and then nudged the boy back, to be able to look him in the eye again, bringing a hand to gently touch his face, rubbing away stray tears with his thumb.

“What on earth do you mean, dear boy?”

“I want to do  _ things _ , with you, to you… but, I don’t know how. You probably would never want… you have lovely Miss Tina…”

Oh.

Yes.

There was that.

“Credence… we’re not, not exclusive or… fuck. I don’t know how to say it that doesn’t sound horrible. But if you want me, I’ll-”

The boy cut him off with another kiss, and Percival beamed at the daring of him, the minimal act of taking charge, just that little bit was glorious to behold.

They remained on the couch a long moment, just revelling in being able to hold one another, and Percival would have gladly fallen asleep as such, but for the later regrets and further pain in his back. Instead, he insisted on carrying Credence to his room, setting him onto his bed, and then making for his own room.

He would not push too far, too soon, as he’d done with Tina.


	4. Coming Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> weeeeeeeeeeee its dONE

“You think you’ll be going out with the Director again soon?”

Queenie was asking, while stirring her tea, and charming a tray of muffins to bloom to life underhand, before nudging them into the oven. Tina barely glanced up from her coffee, midway through the newspaper, pretending not to care. Shielding her thoughts was easier than her face, hence, the paper. It had been almost a week since she’d seen the man outside of everyday interactions at work, and though she hated to admit it, she was feeling a little lonely. But she wasn’t about to chase him down and demand lunch or dinner, no, Tina would let him come to her.

“I don’t know. He’s got a lot going on right now, with Credence.”

“Teenie, you don’t have to be jealous of that sweet boy. There’s more than enough of Mister Graves to go around.”

Tina dropped the paper with a crunch,

“What?”

Queenie maintained a facade of innocence, and just quirked her lips slightly, gloss shimmery and pink,

“Oh honey. He’s got it bad for the Director. Didn’t you know?”

“Just because he can’t protect his thoughts from you doesn’t mean you should read them!”

Tina huffed, and threw the newspaper down, done pretending, and scooped up her coffee mug, still half full and warm to the touch, and shoved away from the table to go to her room, muttering under her breath about how ridiculous it was.

Jealousy was beyond her, she was too old for that sort of nonsense. If Mister Graves wasn’t interested in anything besides a polite companionship, and occasional dates for dinner, he should very well  _ say _ so.

“What’s wrong Teenie? It’s not like you to yell at me.”

Tina was already regretting her outburst, and then Queenie had to follow her and try and hug her to make it all better, like nothing mattered except her own happiness.

“But it does! I want you to be happy. Love shouldn’t make anyone miserable.”

Tina sniffed, and shook her head,

“I’m not. I just… want something for my own, and it’s not wrong, is it?”

Queenie rested her chin on Tina’s shoulder, curls tickling her skin,

“No honey, it’s not. He’s a good man. Just tell him what you want. If he says no, or he needs time to think, or work out what’s between him and Credence, you just need to give it to him. Let him know you won’t wait forever.”

Tina sighed again and shook her head,

“I don’t know how to ask him… how I could possible begin-”

“You’re not asking. You’re  _ telling _ . Go call him right now. Dinner tonight. No excuses.”

Queenie poked her in the side and made her yelp, but as she stumbled back out to stand in front of the fireplace, she knew her sister was right.

She tossed a handful of dust into the fire, which rapidly flashed green,

“Percival Graves!”

It chimed, and he answered within a few moments,

“Yes, Tina?”

She felt her resolve weaken a bit,

“Percy… do you have any plans for tonight?”

She looked over her shoulder to find Queenie standing just out of sight, arms crossed and toe tapping.

“Not that I-”

Percy turned away, and vanished for a moment, though the fire continuing to flicker emerald, so Tina knew he was still there.

“Is this a bad time?”

She didn’t usually bite her nails, but the silence made her nervous, until he came back into view, and smiled apologetically, only looking all the more handsome for it.

“Credence wanted me to ask if Miss Queenie would be available to come visit with him, then I would be delighted to join you for the evening.”

“I sure will honey. Tell Credence I’ll be glad to cook him dinner.”

Queenie leaned down to hug Tina’s shoulders, and smiled over at Percy through the flames. 

“Excellent. I’ll be by to pick you up at eight?”

Tina nodded, rather numbly, and ignored Queenie’s squeal of delight after the call was hung up.

“Don’t you see? He’s excited, he was already planning something… but Credence wants to see me again, poor lamb. I think I’m going to have to do something about his hair, it’s just dreadfully unflattering.”

Tina bit her lip to keep from protesting. The last thing she needed was  _ more _ competition, but the fact that her sister wanted to help the boy was admirable.

“What are you going to wear?”

“Seriously? I have to go to work. So do you. This conversation is ridiculous. Besides I only have one fancy dress. I’ll just change the color.”

“He won’t notice right, because he’s a man? C’mon Teenie. Don’t be so hard on him.”

Tina rolled her eyes and pulled on her work clothing, pants, thank you very much, and then her socks, shoes and coat. She didn’t like talking about things like that any more than Queenie liked talking about work, and what happened with Jacob.

 

* * *

When Miss Queenie put her hands on his cheeks and declared he needed a touch of rouge, he didn’t know how to say no, that was wrong, he couldn’t possibly. She nudged him over to sit in front of the vanity, or as Mister Graves called it, his desk, with an overly large mirror for styling hair, or perhaps shaving in front of. But Credence had no facial hair to speak of, and as for his hair, well, it seemed to be a lost cause. Until Miss Queenie drew her wand, a gold tipped and delicate looking thing, twirling it over his head, and down his cheeks, grazing right over his ear, exposed by the straight cut of his hair.

As he watched, wide eyed, and slack jawed, his crooked and sharp edged bangs began to soften, lengthening down his face, as the rest of his hair followed suit, tickling at the back of his neck, and down his ears and chin. Miss Queenie cooed and murmured, petting her fingers through it, over top of his head, changing the angle of his part, allowing his face to be seen through the now long dark curtains of his hair.

“Oh honey, you’re gorgeous like this. Howabout that color now?”

He could only nod, watching as she gently caressed the side of his cheek, and pink blossomed over his skin, like a blush, but softer, more purposeful, and red appeared over his lips when her fingertip brushed by them.

“Mercy Lewis, honey... you’re gonna knock the Director’s socks off.”

Credence found himself turning hot beneath the makeup, and he was shaking his head before he could stop himself.

“Oh god. No. He’s seeing Miss Tina. I’m just… here.”

Queenie put two fingers under his chin, and turned him gently to meet her blue gaze,

“You’re beautiful, and strong and powerful. Mister Graves isn’t a fool. He can make room in his heart for you just as easily as he has for my sister. Allright?”

He glanced back at the mirror, to the strange yet haunting image of himself there, and then blinked.

“Okay. If you’re sure.”

“Very much so, sweetie. Now, come on, we’ve got some time. Let’s see if we can’t transfigure some of your things into something prettier.”

 

Green silk kissed over his bare skin as Miss Queenie helped him into it, insisting he could always change into his pajamas later, she thought he looked quite nice as it was, just in the robe.

“Are you sure?”

He asked her, multiple times, wondering why she thought such a purely  _ indecent _ outfit would be appropriate to wear around a lady. He could feel his cock against his legs with every step, and he was terrified that he’d accidentally get hard from the tactile contact, even if the sight of Miss Queenie wasn’t all that arousing to him. He thought perhaps if it was  _ Miss Tina _ there instead, guiding him out to the kitchen for a midnight mug of cocoa, trailing fingertips along his arm and up to his jaw, charming the lipstick not to smudge even as he drank the sweet and warm beverage, that maybe he could...

For some reason, he simply felt at ease for the most part with Miss Queenie, while her sister made him a little nervous. Perhaps it was because he’d dreamed of her, and she’d saved his life.

“Oh honey, it’s all right. I’m not bothered at all. Truth be told, I already have someone I’m sweet on.”

“How did you kn-”

Credence clapped a hand over his mouth, and remembered what she’d said. Sometimes he thought so loud, she couldn’t help but hear him.

“Sorry sugar. It’s not on purpose, in fact, I- Oh. He’s on his way. Go on, I’ll scoot out the back way.”

She smiled at him, winking conspiratorially before letting go of him, and moving towards the balcony, why, did she plan to vanish from the fire escape?

Credence gaped after her, and only turned away to find Mister Graves stuck on his way through the door, mid-step, looking right at him with his own jaw dropped.

“Credence…”

He was blushing hotly, and ducking down to stare at his bare feet didn’t do much to hide his face, cherry red, contrasting with the silk of his robe. A loud thump sounded, and he gasped as he realized that the man had fallen forward, landing on his shoulder, before rolling onto his back, groaning lowly.

“Mister Graves? Are you okay?”

He dropped down to his knees beside the man at once, putting a hand to his cheek, watching as his eyes flickered open slowly, and then darkened upon seeing him.

“I thought I had just imagined it. But here you are, looking so different, beautiful beyond words.”

The man’s hand was reaching up, touching his face, rubbing a long dark wave through his fingers, before dropping down, and petting over the silk of his robe, atop his thigh, making Credence shiver.

“It was Miss Queenie… she said my hair needed a bit of help.”

“Mercy Lewis, she should have warned me. And this?”

Once more the man caressed his cheek, and then thumbed over his bottom lip, as he swallowed, and tried to avoid his gaze.

“She said it might look pretty…”

“Oh, it does indeed. May I?”

Credence’s eyes snapped back to Mister Graves, and he started, realizing how quickly the man had sat up, and was now inches from him.

“Please.”

Credence didn’t even think about how likely it was that Mister Graves might have kissed Miss Tina just a few moments before, when they’d parted for the night, because all he knew was the man’s sure hand on his neck, and his mouth against his own. He was grateful for the charm to keep the lipstick from smearing, as he had never known Mister Graves to be so fierce, aggressive almost with his insistent pressing, and a lick from his tongue over the seam of Credence’s mouth caused him to gasp again.

“Join me?”

The man was getting to his feet, and helping him up as well, while keeping a hand at his waist, fingers on his skin burning through the silk.

“Please, anything.”

He didn’t know what it was, but perhaps the fact that he’d made the man weak in the knees had imbued him with some sort of magical confidence, as he followed Mister Graves into his room, he no longer feared what might happen, he knew only what he  _ wanted  _ to happen.

It was simply to kiss Mister Graves, and let him put his hands on him. Why, that was reason enough, wasn’t it?

The man paused their embrace only to snap his fingers and strip down his own clothing to his underwear, before moving in close to capture his lips in another kiss, while gently undoing the tie to his robe, sending heat curling down Credence’s spine, centered on his groin.

“I never dreamed of you with your hair like this. You look like an angel.”

He blinked, and Mister Graves moved in close to brush back a few waves, and kiss down the side of his neck, all the while nudging back the silk, so that it just slid right off his shoulders, pooling to the floor in a shimmer of emerald.

Though he was naked underneath, he didn’t bother hiding himself from the man’s eyes, as he could hear the way his breathing hitched, as his warm hands made contact with Credence’s hips and pulled him flush to his strong body, he could feel that Mister Graves was just as aroused. The knowledge made Credence’s heart skip a beat, but it only stopped completely for a moment when they moved, and he was suddenly falling onto the bed, atop Mister Graves, who put one hand to splay over his bare back, while the other slipped between their bodies, fingers curling easily over his cock, making him grind down into the touch.

“You’re very quiet. I would love to hear how you sound when you come.”

The man’s voice rumbled against his throat, and then the warm wetness of his mouth dragged over his collarbone to his shoulder, before teeth nipped the skin, and Credence’s eyes fell shut, waves of sensations crashing over him. Being touched by someone else, intent on pulling pleasure from every inch of his body, was so very different to how he self abused in the guest room, furtive and quick as he dared, never quite as silent as he meant to be.

“M-Percy… I can’t…”

“Go on. Please?”

Credence’s entire body trembled as he felt a rough swipe of a thumb against the slippery head of his cock, and his hips jolted forward, thrusting against the man’s stomach, the scrape of the waistband of his underwear contrasting with the smooth warmth of his skin.

He braced himself up on his elbows, only so he could attempt to lock eyes with Mister Graves as he came, sudden raw heat shuddering through him, as a moan escaped his lips when he felt his cock spill wetly between their bodies, smearing white over the man’s chest.

“I’m s-”

A kiss silenced his apologies, and then he was being turned, rolled over onto his back, so that the man could shift away and down, putting his mouth to places on his body that he himself had hardly dared explore.

“Credence, you’re perfect. May I touch you here?”

His legs opened easily under the man’s palm, and his pulse settled only to race again when he reached lower, between them, below his softened length and swell of his sack.

“I’ve never…”

“I suspected as much. Would you let me?”

Credence could only watch and nod slowly, as the moment stretched on, his eyes widened when he realized Mister Graves wasn’t just putting his hand there, he kissed between his thighs, and pressed his tongue in, nearer and nearer to the tight muscle that he knew only led to further sin.

“But you-”

“I’m hard yes. I’d love to come here, between these slender legs, in time. But right now, I don’t want to rush you.”

His breath caught in his throat as he tried to imagine the  _ how’s _ along with the  _ why’s _ , though all he knew was that he never wanted it to stop. Mister Graves returned to kissing him down _ there, _ and rubbed a thumb over his hole, not pushing, just massaging, as he felt something tingling in his abdomen. It was like his body wanted him to come again, though his cock remained soft over his stomach, and sweat started to form at his temples, before there was the barest hint of penetration.

His back arched and he cried out, even though it was over in a heartbeat, and Mister Graves was shushing him, a soothing hand atop his thigh, splaying up to graze his cock, which twitched from the contact.

“Just relax.”

What he wanted to do was make the man finish, wanted to feel him fall apart too, though he nodded, and remained still, he was anything but relaxed.

Mister Graves shifted back up slowly, and rutted between his legs, underwear vanished in a heartstopping instant, allowing his exposed cock to drip onto Credence’s skin, betraying his need.

“I need…”

“What is it, my boy?”

“How can I help  _ you _ , sir?”

He fumbled between their bodies, fingers just barely skimming over the man’s length, and he heard how sharply he inhaled, before stuttering out another breath.

“Credence, dear boy, you’re being as helpful as you can. Naked, shivering, and so painfully lovely. I’d rather be here than anywhere in the world.”

“Even with Miss Tina?”

He didn’t know why he had said it, he just knew he regretted it the instant the words left his mouth. Instead of being angry, Mister Graves actually laughed at him.

“My boy, that’s entirely a different matter. I’d much rather stay here, present in our moment, than reminisce on past pleasures.”

Credence bit his lip, and then nodded, intent on getting the man off as fast as he could. So he braced his legs at the sides of the man’s bared hips, and leaned up to kiss him, humming into the contact, relishing how Mister Graves’ own movements became hesitant, and he could  _ feel _ the man’s cock jump under his hand.

He tried using the same move, rubbing his thumb over the head, nearly slipping right off, and he stroked with purpose, pushing down, so that the man could thrust up.

“Yes, good, just like that…”

Credence could feel himself growing hard again as Mister Graves continued to move over him, so close to actually rutting right into  _ his  _ own cock that he gasped, and tried to arch his back to get closer. Though it ended quickly indeed, with one firm thrust from the man’s hips rolling forward, and wetness slicked his grasp in several spurts, as their kiss grew sloppy, and the man panted out a groan.

“Fuck… Credence… you’re incredible.”

He blinked, aware that Mister Graves had shifted away to collapse onto his side, and was cleaning them with a twirling of his fingers, a silent spell, before sliding a hand under his back and pulling him close, a hug that was so much skin to skin contact, he half worried he’d come again from that alone. But he gladly nuzzled in close, and felt Mister Graves’ other hand carding through his hair, pushing the long strands back from his sweaty forehead.

“I hardly did anything of note, sir.”

“Sh-hh-hh. None of that. Running before we’ve walked is a bad idea. I’d blame this on surprise at seeing you, but Mercy knows I’ve wanted to do this long before now. I just… didn’t know how to go about it.”

Credence bit his lip, and looked up at the man, petting a hand thoughtfully over his bare chest,

“I liked it. A lot.”

He was still blushing, and he wasn’t even sure he had any makeup left. The sheer amount of kissing they’d done had surely ruined the lipstick, though not a hint of red was on Mister Graves’ mouth.

“Would you like me to take this off?”

The man’s fingers curled against his jaw, as his thumb pressed over his bottom lip, and Credence found himself nodding. The same cleaning charm, and his mouth was no longer sticky when he licked over them, accidentally catching the pad of the man’s fingertip.

“Oh. I just thought, how pretty that would be, if you put your mouth on me, with that same shade of lipstick on.”

Credence realized what the man was saying after a handful of seconds, and his cock throbbed against his thigh.

“Oh...”

“Would you ever want to?”

He nodded.

“Perhaps tomorrow. Another time.”

Credence snuggled closer, and felt exhaustion creeping over him, even before Mister Graves magically summoned the blankets to cover them, and he let his eyes fall shut. 

 

* * *

Percival awakened with a surprising armful of warm and slender limbed Credence, with his long hair tickling his nose, and splayed over the pillow, far too long to be real, he had to be dreaming. A moment passed, and he pinched himself, only to recall the exact events that led to them falling into bed together.

Oh right.

His heart pounded triple time, and he looked his fill, daringly, nudging covers back from the boy’s waist, and staring at the smooth expanse of skin, up until the scars marring his back became visible, and Percival growled low in his throat. 

They’d been healed as best as could be done with magic on old wounds and new from the curses thrown at him, but still, it pained him to see the evidence of the boy’s suffering. Even as he stirred in Percival’s arms he wanted nothing more than to protect him, and keep him safe, though the boy’s own magical powers could certainly do well enough on their own.

“Good morning.”

The boy was bright pink, blushing from the awareness of their tangled limbs, and lack of clothing.

“Hello there.”

He cupped a hand over the boy’s cheek, and leaned down to kiss him, the rose of his lips too sweet a temptation to resist. The boy’s mouth opened under his own slowly, like a blooming flower, and when Percival dragged a hand down the dip of his spine, to cup his ass, just barely a hint of pressure, he could suddenly feel Credence’s cock hot and hard against his thigh.

“Oh.  _ Good morning _ indeed.”

Credence broke away, and turned his face into his arm, the pillow, 

“I’m sorry…”

Percival tightened his hold on Credence’s back, keeping him right over his body,

“Don’t be. I’d love to make you come, right here, right now. But I really want to put my mouth on you.”

He nudged the boy onto his back, and then kissed down the length of his chest, and stomach, feeling how his breathing hitched, before he’d even set a palm below his waist, and he could rub his cheek against Credence’s length, then gently apply his lips to it, with just a hint of tongue against the head, over the wetness seeping out of the slit.

It wasn’t until Credence whimpered under him, that Percival noticed he too was hard against the sheets, and moving his hips just that side of rough could give him enough friction, to where he might be able to finish just like that, alongside making his boy come with his mouth.

Although, he wanted to wait, to beg for Credence to do the same to him, so he lowered himself, swallowing around half of the boy’s cock, as he felt his muscles twitching under the palm pressed over the boy’s waist.

“Please…”

Waking up to take a communion of sorts from Credence’s cock was more than appealing, and Percival decided he could be religious, easily, if it meant worshiping the boy. He suckled gently on just the tip, before taking him in as deep down his throat as he dared, and his nose tickled the dark hairs curling on the boy’s pale skin.

“I’m-”

He broke off into a low moan, and salty bitterness exploded over Percival’s taste buds, dripping hotly down his throat, so that he could pull back and tighten his lips around the head once more, tonguing the slit until Credence squirmed from overstimulation, and begged prettily for him to stop.

“Forgive me. You just look so lovely like this, all spread out, pink and quivering.”

He wasn’t just speaking about Credence’s full body flush, but he saw the hint of a smile, and when he let go of the boy, that was what spurred him on, surging up to kiss those full lips and taste the next moan to cross them.

“Can I do you?”

His heart jumped in his chest even as his cock twitched between his legs, and Percival nodded, falling onto his side, letting Credence chase him easily enough, clumsily trying to imitate what he’d just done, using far too little tongue and more exploring his body with fingers and lips, before reaching below his navel.

His hand skittered over Percival’s cock, and it stirred again, desperate for more, so Credence eyed him the entire way he sunk down, and just barely kissed the tip.

“Do you intend to torture me, sweet boy?”

“No sir.”

“Go on, see how much you can fit in your mouth.”

What he didn’t expect was Credence to be so ambitious, so when the cool touch of his nose bumped against Percival’s stomach, it  _ almost  _ distracted him from the fact that his cock was instantly enveloped in tight warmth, and a flicker of a tongue rubbed against the underside, making his hips try to buck up, though a slim fingered hand braced down over him.

“Fucking… you didn’t have to-”

Any further coherency was cut off by Credence humming around his cock, and then pulling back, and sucking down again. Mercy Lewis, he was born to do that, apparently.

Percival just reached down to card his fingers through the boy’s newly lengthened locks, and just held on for dear life, as his orgasm crashed through him a few moments later.

Credence pulled back, spluttering and coughing, and turning even redder, as he delicately wiped his mouth on his hand, and Percival would have laughed, had he not been so short on breath.

“Lovely… how-?”

“You said see how much would fit? So I did my best.”

Credence’s own voice was a squeak, and Percival exhaled slowly, heartbeat still thundering, and he beckoned with a weak hand, so that the boy would return to his arms, lips swollen and slick with saliva.

“You---for fucks sake Credence… you can’t just  _ do _ that.”

The boy hid his face against Percival’s chest and behind a dark curtain of hair,

“What?”

“Deep throat me without a word of warning. Didn’t that hurt?”

Credence shrugged a delicate shoulder,

“I’ve swallowed worse things Percival. I  _ liked _ it.”

He stopped petting over the boy’s back, and sighed. The shock of his real name falling from Credence’s lips was enough to get him to pay attention,

“I don’t want you thinking like that… but, as long as you’re okay… I’m happy. Now, shall we get dressed and have some breakfast?”

Credence shook his head, and snuggled closer,

“Five more minutes, please.”

Arguing with that was rather difficult, and unnecessary, Percival was quite comfortable too, so he smiled, and remained still, just listening to the sound of the boy breathing.

 

 

The next time Percival awoke, he was alone, and the smell of bacon and eggs on toast filled his senses, as well as soft conversation. He frowned, before climbing out of bed, and pulling on a bathrobe. He’d walked out into the kitchen and instantly noticed Credence at the stove, clad in just a sleep shirt and shorts, but still chattering, when he noticed a dark shape approaching out of the corner of his eye.

_ Tina. _

“Morning Percival, hope you don’t mind I came by to give you this? You lost it last night.”

She was smiling warmly, and holding out one of his cufflinks, as he tried to hide his surprise and the fact he’d nearly cursed her for sneaking up on him.

“Ah, thank you.”

“Would you join us for breakfast? Or rather lunch, Miss Tina?”

Credence stole the words that he, in his more politer of days, might have considered asking, and Percival watched as she deliberated. How awkward would the meal be, sharing a table with two people he was technically seeing, both intimately, and separately?

Very.

The answer was  _ very. _

Tina nodded and took a seat, accepting a steaming mug of coffee Credence poured for her, while he returned to tend the food on the stove, Percival collapsed into the nearest seat, and tried not to wince at his state of attire. Compared with Tina’s soft plum blouse and black slacks, even Credence seemed better dressed for a lazy breakfast than he was, still technically naked under a layer of black terrycloth.

“Did you sleep well last night? I apologize if I kept you up. Unless you always sleep in so late on weekends?”

Percival glanced to Credence before looking to Tina, and he saw how the boy blushed, and pointedly fussed with his shirt collar. He hadn’t left  _ that _ many love bites on the boy’s neck, but there was definitely at least one from when he’d been climaxing atop him the night before.

“Oh... sometimes. You’re not at fault in any way, no need to apologise.”

“I see Queenie did get her way. You look very nice with long hair Credence. It suits you.”

The boy fingered a stray lock, and then thanked her in a polite hushed reply, which made Percival oddly jealous, in fact, the whole conversation and visit they’d been sharing before he even showed up. Why, how long had Tina actually been there?

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”

He tried to ask as tactfully as he could, but Credence still ducked his head, even as he brought over plates and carefully used magic to add the food to them.

“I didn’t want to disturb you. You looked so peaceful.”

His gaze flickered to Tina just briefly, and he asked her how much of everything she wanted, while Percival sipped his tea, and tried his best to keep from getting too paranoid.

The meal was delicious, Credence’s skills constantly improving with time and patience, but Percival felt taught as a bowstring throughout it all, polite chatter or companionable silence between bites. His entire being seemed to itch and begged to be scattered to the wind, all because he could not show any fondness to either of them without risking upsetting the other. It was maddening.

“Everything okay, Percival?”

Credence calling him by his first name again jarred him back to reality, and he looked up to find them both staring at him, as he’d paused mid bite, and tried to reach for his cup with the same hand holding his fork still. Hence, a piece of egg fell off onto the table, and the fork clattered onto the wood by his tea.

“Of course. Sorry. Bit lost in thought. What were we talking about?”

Tina blinked, and then worried her bottom lip. She must have used the same charm that Queenie had on Credence’s lipstick, as her own magenta shade hadn’t budged an inch.

“Just wondered how you two had been getting along.”

“Oh. Quite well, I should think. Credence?”

The boy nodded, a touch eager, and Percival smiled as a result, melting a little, before choosing to take a sip of tea, a safe way to avoid any more questions for the moment.

 

* * *

It had all started when Miss Tina knocked on the door, and Credence heard it first, so he crawled away carefully from Mister Graves, and walked quickly to the entry hall, summoning a decent bit of clothing before daring to look through the peephole, and determining it wasn’t a threat, it was really her. Then she’d come inside, remarked that she’d hoped to chat with  _ ‘Percy’ _ and Credence had reluctantly confessed he was still asleep. He hadn’t let slip just  _ how _ he knew such a thing, but Miss Tina nodded before asking if she could simply wait for him to get up? Like a fool, he said yes.

That had been his mistake.

She’d stared at him a good long while as he puttered around the kitchen fixing some coffee for them both, and said something about how lovely he looked, with his hair like that, that Queenie had done a good job, and he bit his tongue, before blurting out,

“That’s impossible. You’re the lovely one.”

It was only fair to confess it, she was. She was dressed like she’d been going to work, or church, and was wearing a hint of makeup he couldn’t recall ever seeing her in; black framed her eyes, she had on maroon lipstick, and silver sparkled on her ears. 

He felt his gut churning with guilt and jealousy as he concluded she must have dressed up to see Mister Graves, and she might have even been planning to take him out for lunch, or an early dinner later.

Why hadn’t she just called?

Why had she just come by like it was a sure thing?

That was what had made him invite her to stay.

Selfishly, so he could keep an eye on her while she was around Mister Graves. 

 

“I think this is going to be weird until we decide that it isn’t. Look, Percy, I know you’re in love with him, and that’s great, it’s wonderful, Credence is lovely. But I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to still see each other. Is that okay with you Credence?”

He started at the feel of a hand overtop his own, bracing around his fork and considering which final bite to finish first, bacon or egg on toast, and he noticed that her nails were purple tipped; Miss Tina was touching him, and his heart skipped a beat.

From her?

She was asking permission if she could still date Mister Graves, and she knew they were in love? But the man had said no such thing… to him at least.

“What?”

Mister Graves exclaimed before Credence could even begin to form words, and Miss Tina herself blushed at that.

“I realize it’s rather unusual, but Queenie said it was possible. You could see both of us. If we all agree.”

“You want me… to date both of you?”

“Well, you already are, are you not? I’m just saying, continue to do so, with my full permission…”

Miss Tina was still looking at him, pleading silently now, and Credence swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat.

“How did you know? Did he tell you? Did you-?”   
Mister Graves was shaking his head, but it was too late, Miss Tina had seen.

“You are! Can’t you just admit it? Be honest with me. Or do you only wish to be with him?”

Mister Graves’ outburst was sudden, and spontaneous, 

“No! Tina, I adore the time we’ve spent together, I care about you a great deal, it’s not like there’s nothing between us… but Credence, he’s... I’ve wanted more than what I thought I dared dream of for so long, and now that it’s within my reach… I was helpless to deny myself. I didn’t mean for you to think I was being unfaithful.”

Credence’s heart swelled at the man’s words, even as he saw Miss Tina’s face fall slightly, her brown eyes dimmed,

“We weren’t exclusive Percy. I don’t have any right to demand you only see me. But I’m just here, asking you now. Will you keep going with this, or should I just go while I have a scrap of dignity left?”

She looked on the verge of standing, or bolting, or perhaps like she might cry, but Mister Graves got up first, and came over to stand between them, one hand on Credence’s shoulder, the other held out to Tina.

“I would be honored if you’d allow me such a thing. I have only the greatest respect for you Tina. I don’t want you to go, nor do I wish to have to hide that I  _ do _ feel fond admiration for two different souls.”

Credence blinked, and then looked to Mister Graves, who actually seemed unsure, until Miss Tina spoke, settling the matter entirely. She reached out and took the man’s hand, before getting to her feet to embrace him, and the hand on Credence’s shoulder squeezed gently.

_ It’s okay, it’s all okay. _

She pulled back and smiled down at him with such innate sweetness, and looked so lovely, he couldn’t help it, he stood up and stepped forward to kiss her, a soft, slow press of lips against the creamy color that bloomed over her mouth, and he could heard her quiet exclamation, even as Mister Graves let go of him.

“Credence… I had no idea that you-”

“You’re so kind, and strong. Miss Tina, I’ve always admired you.”

One of her hands met his shoulder, curved around the back of his neck, and stroked through his hair, as her dark eyes shined with unshed tears,

“I’m so grateful to know you.”

“He’s wonderful, isn’t he?”

Mister Graves spoke low, but the praise in his voice couldn’t be mistaken for anything else, and as a result, Credence could feel his own cheeks warming.

“A perfect miracle all right.”

Credence ducked his head, and broke the stare, only to feel the man’s hand on the other side of his neck, cupping his cheek, before he leaned in, and kissed the smudge of lipstick from Miss Tina right off of him.

Credence was trapped between them, but felt no need to retreat, to escape, in fact, he just wanted more. He let Mister Graves kiss him, harder, with a hint of teeth and tongue, and thought Miss Tina let out a gasp, or perhaps a strangled sigh, and her hand tightened over his neck, so he put an arm around her trim waist, pulling her flush to them both.

“I think we should go sit down.”

Mister Graves finally said, resting his forehead against Credence’s, panting for breath, and with a jolt, he realized he could  _ feel _ how hard the man was, the long line of his cock braced into his side, nudging at his hip. 

Miss Tina likely had no idea what she was getting into, and he wondered, would he be able to do  _ anything _ for her? He’d never kissed a woman before, he’d shared his first everything with Mister Graves. His palms began to sweat, and he only followed while the other two led the way, Mister Graves purposefully walking towards his bedroom, the bright sunshine streaming in through the curtains condemning them, in a way, for instigating such carnal activities while the day still dawned.

“Should I-”

He began, unsure, and before he could ask, he watched Miss Tina  _ melt _ under one of Mister Graves’ large hands, palming over a breast, through her silk shirt, he imagined he could see her nipples harden, just from a rough touch.

“Shh. Just watch what I do, my boy. It’s easy, I promise.”

He hung back, his hands wringing in front of his chest, as the two of them interacted, their hands going everywhere, preferring to skip magic for the time being, just undressing each other with shaky fingers, and lips meeting occasionally when a button was freed.

Miss Tina was the only one with real clothing on, so when her hands slipped under the now open halves of Mister Graves’ robe, it fell to the floor in a dark cloud of terry cloth, leaving his body bared, numerous scars visible, things Credence hadn’t noticed the night before, lost in a haze of pleasure as he had been. In fact every time he’d been in the man’s bed, under his touch had been far too distracted. He moved forward, stepped in close, and pressed his lips reverently to one shoulder, before dragging his hand over the biggest scar, the sharp jagged line running down Mister Graves’ back, bisecting his waist, light pink skin contrasting with the rest of him.

“You’re just  _ like _ me.”

“Never claimed to be anything else, my boy.”

The man’s voice was strained, as if it was hard to think, to form words, and Credence’s eyes widened as he noticed Miss Tina’s hand caressing over the hard line of his cock. No wonder.

“Please, let me finish you first.”

Miss Tina hummed slightly, and shrugged,

“I think the time for slow seduction is past, Percy. It’s been far too long since we’ve been, well, intimate.”

She dropped to her knees, smirking slightly, and Credence squeaked as he saw the rest of her clothing vanish, from being hidden behind a silky white brassiere to nothing but miles of pale skin, punctuated by two peach colored nipples over her soft mounds, and then further down, between slender legs and below a concave stomach a dark shadow of curls, then it was all out of his sight when she leaned forward, and took Mister Graves’ length into her mouth.

He could feel the man’s legs tremble, even as he wrapped his arms around his chest, hugging him tightly, and rubbing his cheek against the strong broad shoulder before him.

Mister Graves didn’t seem to know where to put his hands, as if afraid to touch Miss Tina and risk shattering the moment. Credence bucked against him once, unable to stop himself, his own cock hot and hard through the fabric of his sleep pants, and pressed into the man’s back, wishing he could rut over soft skin, the plush curves of his ass.

“You two just might kill me.”

Mister Graves panted out, and Credence smiled into his skin, murmuring that he could never dream of doing such a thing.

Miss Tina however didn’t let up, didn’t even slow down, he could feel her every move making the man react, and when he moaned, low and long, Credence knew he was coming, pumping his release deep into her throat, as her plum polish tipped fingers dug into his thighs.

“Okay, I need to sit down, right now.”   
The man gently extricated himself from Credence’s embrace, and collapsed onto the bed the second Miss Tina had let him go, and was actually laughing.

“Did I take you out of commission already?” she turned to Credence and winked, nearly making him fall over as well.

“No, I’ll recover. I won’t make Credence fuck you. I wanted to teach him something else entirely, but you’ve derailed the plan.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining a second ago.”

Miss Tina stood up, and Credence noticed she was taller than him, by a little, without her shoes or clothing, she looked rather like a siren, or perhaps a mermaid who’d cut her hair in exchange for legs. She was stunning and he simply felt nervous all over again, even as she touched him gently, a hand on his arm, another over his heart, flicking open the buttons on his sleep shirt.

“Hey, it’s alright. Don’t be scared. Percy’s a good teacher, but I’ll promise you, anything you do will be fine. Let’s start with kissing again, hmm?”

Credence could only nod, and close his eyes, before leaning into her, their lips met in a soft press, with barely any tongue, until  _ she _ opened her mouth first, and barely tickled against his bottom lip, asking politely for entrance, while her hands worked him free of his clothing.

Now only his long hair grazed over his bare skin, and cool air kissed the rest of his body, before her hands were bracing on his hips, and he responded by tentatively putting one of his hands on her shoulder, and then slipping down her back, he was startled to feel ridges and lines.

More scars.

They both had them.

His eyes flickered open to find her watching him, making him blush in response.

“What is it Credence?”

“All this time, I thought I was ugly, and deformed. Because of my scars. But you and Mis- Percy, have some too.”

Tina’s face shifted from curious and concerned to sadly soft,

“Oh, Credence, we all have scars. Whether inside or out. Me and Percy work in dangerous times, and that’s just a hazard. You didn’t deserve any of yours. They were from mindless cruelty. I wish I could take them all away from you.”

She held his face in her hands, and leaned in to kiss him once more, as he hugged her, and brought her flush to his body, tingling all over from the earnest words and so much skin to skin contact.

“You’re both so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?”

Mister Graves broke through the haze in Credence’s mind, arousal warring with shame, and he smiled shyly, while Miss Tina stroked his cheek,

“Oh I don’t know, I suspect the universe decided you have earned a little happiness.”

She was smiling at him, and Credence looked over to find the man patting the side of the bed. It seemed quite empty when it was just him lying upon the sheets, so Credence moved first, but when Miss Tina followed, Mister Graves urged him back, and asked her to open her legs.

“I want to show him how to make  _ you _ come.”

Now Credence could feel heat trickling down his spine for another reason altogether.

 

* * *

Percival soothed a hand down the boy's back, feeling along the knobs of his spine as he knelt behind him on the bed. Whereas Credence was all sharp edges and lanky limbs, pale skin with occasional scars over his upper back, the expanse beyond, his pert ass, and creamy thighs all begged to be marked with love bites and bruises from clinging too hard, Tina was soft curves, lithe legs leading down to delicate ankles, though Percival didn’t think himself very fond of feet, he decided he’d gladly kneel at hers, and kiss them if she asked, with freckles dotted over her skin here and there, it was as if her body was drawing a story on the lovely canvas that was just…  _ her _ , dark stars drowning in white, like the sky inverse.

He’d become a poetic sap in love with two very different people, in a frighteningly short time, and when he took Credence’s hand, and guided it between Tina’s legs, to the glistening pink of her cunt, he watched the boy’s awed face, and couldn’t help smiling in reply.

“See how it makes her breath catch, when you touch here, rub like  _ this _ ? Just wait for her to tell you how she likes it.”

“Harder, please.”

Tina’s voice was strained already, and they’d barely done much beyond caress her. Percival was happy to lean in and kiss her, before putting his free hand to her closest breast, gently thumbing over the nipple, and watching it harden further, 

“Kiss her here.”

Percival tapped a finger over Tina’s stomach, right beside her navel, so that Credence could start off slow, while still properly stroking her with two fingers.

He shifted a bit behind the boy, putting a hand to his bare shoulder, and massaging the skin, the tense muscles,

“It’s alright Credence. You’re going to put your mouth on her now, right there, beside your fingers.”

“How?”

“Kiss her, gently, use your tongue, but don’t be afraid to lick deeply if she asks.”

“Yes, please.”   
Tina’s hand found Credence’s hair again, and Percival could see her fingers card through it, gripping him firmly, keeping him there, the second he made contact. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed, and her reddened lips parted slightly, before she gasped.

“Oh… that’s, just like that.”

Percival pressed a kiss to the top of Credence’s spine, and felt him jump slightly, humming in question, as a result of which, Tina felt it vibrate through her, and her thighs trembled, trying to brace against the boy’s shoulders. He smirked against the boy’s skin, and petted down the side of his waist, dragging his lips down the length of his back, then curled his fingers under Credence’s stomach, and grasped at his cock loosely, feeling how slick the head was, and the gasp that the boy let out was truly a thing of beauty.

“I’m going to make you come, as she guides you to do the same for her. Alright?”

Credence didn’t nod, but he moaned into Tina, and she hissed something that might have been a curse mingled with his name, so Percival took it as an agreement. While he massaged Credence’s ass, which flexed as he thrust down into Percival’s hand, he couldn’t resist leaning down and kissing then nipping at one of the plush cheeks, when the boy’s cock pulsed against his fingers, spilling almost suddenly as Tina keened low, and Percival looked up just in time to watch her face as she came.

It was enough to bring him back to full hardness again, the only question was, who could he fuck first? Credence was dazed looking, resting his cheek against one of Tina’s thighs, breathing hard, hair messy and tangled from her frantic hold, and Percival smiled, leaning down to kiss his temple, and stroke back the curtain of his dark hair. 

“How was that, my boy?”

“It was amazing… I hope I did okay.”

“Oh you were wonderful.”

“Mi-Percy is a great teacher.”

“Mhm, yes I daresay he is.”

“Come here, let me taste her.”

Credence blinked, frowning slightly, as Percival’s hand cupped under his chin, and he leaned down to press his lips to the boy’s reddened and plush ones, still shiny with Tina’s release and perhaps his own saliva.

_ That  _ was a kiss like no other, and he smiled against Credence, feeling how it made him squirm to be devoured so thoroughly.

“Would you like me to-?”

Credence’s hand was clumsy, but determined, as he reached out, palming over Percival’s groin, and he bit back a moan, before shaking his head.

“I want to finish inside you. Would you let me?”

Credence’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, and then he nodded, though the frown remained as Percival gently urged him onto his back, and pushed his legs open, before moving down the length of his body.

“Percy, what are you-?”

He smiled against the boy’s skin, and kissed him soundly right between his legs, coaxing the muscle to relax just enough to allow a finger to slip inside. It would take a little more work than that, he knew, but it was fun to tease the boy. He could hear Tina murmuring something that made Credence squeak in reply, and he chuckled, before nosing against the silky soft swell of Credence’s sack, bracing an arm over his slender hips, keeping him from bucking Percival off.

“He’s going to eat you out before he fucks you. What a gentleman...”

Tina was teasing him right back, and the next time he looked up at the boy, he saw them kissing. That made his own cock jump, and take further interest in the proceedings, so he moved a bit faster, charming Credence’s hole slick, and pressed a finger all the way in, before carefully adding a second, curling them, seeking out the spot that would make him hard again. He dragged his mouth over and up the length of the boy’s soft cock and knew the exact moment he was successful, by the way the organ twitched, as Credence moaned, low and broken only by Tina petting over his chest, grazing a nail over one of his nipples.

“Oh, so sensitive. Credence, you’re so pretty. It’s unfair.”

“Not as pretty as you Miss Tina.”

“Oh Mercy. Just Tina is fine. You’ve made me come, no need for formality at this point.”

Percival didn’t have to look to know Credence was blushing, then probably sheepishly nodding and murmuring an apology, before he ripped a gasp from the boy, by rubbing purposefully over the soft ridge of his prostate. 

“I think you’re ready for me, my boy.”

“Please!”

Percival ground his hips onto the sheets the entire way he crawled up to kiss along Credence’s neck, nipping a spot before suckling over it, and then wetly kissing up to his mouth, 

“You want it?”

Credence hummed and nodded eagerly, adorably wanton, keeping his legs spread so that Percival could rut between them, and spare a glance to Tina, to find her watching with a rather fond twinkle in her eye.

“He’s ready Percy. Go on, fuck him.”

He dipped down to capture Credence’s mouth in another kiss, just as he pressed in, letting the head of his cock just barely disappear inside the boy’s tight and slick hole. It felt like  _ more _ , they’d never actually gone that far before, only used a hint of fingers and nothing could quite compare. Percival sunk deeper, and his arms nearly collapsed beneath him as he bottomed out, and Credence instinctively clenched around him, crying out, silenced only by his mouth still slotted over the boy’s.

He tried not to get too lost in the moment, he didn’t want Tina to be left out, so when he started to drive into Credence, Percival held out a hand to her, beckoning her closer, breaking away to kiss her the second she leaned in, keeping a hand at the back of her neck, tangling in her short brown waves.

It began slowly enough, but the harder he started to thrust, the more Credence tightened his hold against his hips, legs braced against his sides, and he was whimpering, begging for something.

Percival gave Tina another kiss, and pulled away to look down at the boy,

“What is it Credence? Do you need to come?”

He bit his lip and then nodded, suddenly stricken silent with some kind of shyness.

“I’ve got you.”

He reached between their bodies without a single thought, and snagged one of Tina’s hands, guiding it carefully to wrap around Credence’s cock, and he cried out, hips jerking, forcing Percival out halfway, before he pressed back in with vigor, and Tina’s fingers curled tighter.

“Go on baby.”

Percival felt rather than saw Credence come, as his own eyes glazed over with pleasure, at the way the boy clenched around him again, gasping through his orgasm, spurting onto Tina’s hand and over his chest and stomach.

“Oh god…”

“Perfect.”

Tina nestled between them and kissed Credence delicately, while he continued to shudder through aftershocks, and Percival felt his self control rapidly dissolving as sweat formed between his shoulder blades and his thighs began to ache.

“Do you really want me to finish inside you, or-?”

“Please…”

Credence spoke in a low whisper, voice raspy from lack of use, and Percival was only too glad to comply, falling down to kiss the side of his pale neck, worrying a love bite into his skin, and letting his climax wash over him. His cock pulsed deep into the boy, culminating in warmth spilling out around his softening length as he finally drew back, and fell to his side onto the bed. He kept one arm thrown across the boy’s waist, mindful of the mess from his own cock, before Tina was the one speaking, softly, cleaning them all with a quick spell, leaving him feeling dry and warm, as well as very lethargic, despite it still being only mid afternoon.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?”

Credence asked in a sudden show of boldness, and Percival smiled, eyes slipping shut, as Tina replied in the affirmative, with a gentle kiss to the boy’s cheek, or lips perhaps, and then she was touching his hand, squeezing his fingers in her own, before shifting down, curling up at Credence’s other side so that he was surrounded.

 

* * *

Tina woke up from the brief respite, a little nap in the day that she rarely indulged in, unless out of necessity, and boy, had it been much needed. Her legs still ached from the use of muscles she’d neglected for days, not even bothering to touch herself at home, whether alone or not, she had wanted to wait til she could be with Percy again. Now, she couldn’t imagine being with _ just _ him, as Credence was such a sweet addition to things, to their lives. She’d had no idea that the boy thought of her… like  _ that, _ much less had dreamed about her? How had he kept so quiet all that time?

She watched him while he slept for a moment, and marveled at how different he looked with his hair grown out, and after a few days of decent meals, he no longer appeared on death’s door, and even seemed… happy. It was a miraculous change.

She looked over to Percy, and caught him staring. He smiled warmly at her and then put a hand to Credence’s bare hip, caressing the pale skin with such fondness it made her heart ache. They were great together, truly, she didn’t want to get in the way of that at all. If they decided to invite her into their bed again, she would jump at the chance. Deep down, she hoped that she could be Credence’s first time, at least, with a woman. She wondered what that would be like, considering how much pleasure he had gotten from taking care of her, it would probably be overwhelming for him.

She leaned in, and brushed her lips against his own, feeling as he stirred slowly, and blinked up at her.

“Miss Tina… you-”

She put a hand to his mouth, a finger rubbed over his plump bottom lip,

“Ah-ah-ah. Just Tina, remember? Or you can call me kitten if you really want to.”

She winked over at Percy, who looked stricken.

“I hoped you’d call  _ me _ that.” Credence said, hushed, low, as if he had surprised himself by admitting it, and Tina quirked a brow,

“Is that what you want,  _ kitten _ ?”

His cheeks flushed and he nodded, while Tina caught movement out of the corner of her eye, his cock, which had been resting on his thigh, soft and pink, was now thickening, shining at the head.

“Oh. My.”

“He’s so good isn’t he? Deserves such a lovely nickname. What should we call you then, Tina dear?”

Tina felt rapidly in danger of blushing herself at such attention from Percy, even as his hand slipped down, and started languidly stroking over Credence’s cock. 

“Well… I wouldn’t be opposed to _ ‘sugar’  _ honestly.”

Percy hummed before leaning down to kiss Credence’s shoulder, and thumbing over the head of his cock, making the boy jerk his hips, perhaps involuntarily, but it still quickened Tina’s breath.

“Okay sugar. Do you want to ride our kitten?”

“Yes please… Daddy.”

“Oh god.”

Credence’s eyes closed and Percy quickly let go of him, pressing a hand flat over the boy’s thigh.

“Not yet kitten. Wait for her to get ready. She might need my help, hmm?”

Percy eyed her, and Tina shrugged, feeling fairly wet already.

“If you want, Daddy, I’m all yours.”

“Come here.”

He had dropped the nicknames for the moment, she felt as it was all in the name of riling up Credence anyway. When she eagerly climbed over him, to lean down to kiss Percy, she felt the boy shudder beneath her, bow strung taut, impatient.

A hand petted over her bare back, down her side, to cup over her ass, and squeezed gently. She found herself giggling,  _ giggling  _ against Percy’s mouth, and throwing Credence a wink,

“You can touch the girls too you know. Don’t be shy.”

Credence visibly swallowed as his eyes dropped to her chest, and a few moments later, tentative fingers grazed over her left breast, then he was rubbing over a peaked nipple. Tina hummed into Percy, smiling through their kiss, while she felt one of  _ his _ hands grasp at her waist, then move between her legs to thumb against her clit, making her shiver.

“Oh she is dripping, kitten. Do you want her on your cock now?”

“Yes… Daddy.”

Hearing the pet name from Credence’s lips was quite another thing to saying it aloud herself, and it made her tingle, goosebumps erupted over her skin, as her nipples tightened further.

“Please.”   
“Go on then. Show Daddy how you can fuck our  _ sugar _ .”

Tina backed away from Percy to settle over Credence’s hips, straddling him but not quite touching his cock yet, she watched him, waiting for him to put his hands on her, at her waist, guiding her up so she could graze her cunt over him.

“Please…  _ sugar _ …”

Credence’s voice was already cracking, and he’d barely done a thing, so Tina went easy on him, reaching down to stroke him once, and then she nudged the tip of his cock against her, helping him slide inside her with a quick roll of her hips.

His eyes closed at once, and he hissed low, breaking off with a moan, a whimpering sound that shot straight to her clit, even before she had him halfway inside her, she felt incredibly full. He was a bit longer than Percy, if slimmer around, and she hardly noticed when the man moved, until she glanced over and he was no longer beside her, but resting his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently, she looked back to catch his lips quirking.

“How does it feel kitten? What’s it like?”

“Daddy… she’s so  _ wet _ and warm, tight. Feels too good.”

Credence gasped out, and Tina saw that he was crying now, tears dripping down his cheeks, soaking into his hair, splayed out on the pillows like a dark halo.

“Beautiful… you’re doing so well. Can you hold on a minute longer baby?”

He bit his lip and nodded, chest heaving, seemingly desperate to breathe, to remain in control, though Tina could feel him trembling under her, as she sat down completely, she found she could rub herself against him if she leaned over a touch, and it was so full, so much, his cock couldn’t help jolting over the place inside her that could put stars in her eyes.

“Kitten, would you like Daddy to fuck her too? Would that feel good?”

Tina startled a bit at that, concern edging over her arousal, and she managed to ask,

“Is that possible?”

Percy stroked a hand down her side and put his mouth to the nape of her neck to murmur into her skin,

“Indeed. If you don’t want to… I can wait to have you when our boy is done. Or I can charm you numb…”

“Yes. I’d like to try. I mean. Just as long as it doesn’t hurt.”

“Of course not. You think I just fuck our kitten without any preparation?”

His hand moved around to cup her ass, before dipping between her cheeks, as a thumb rubbed over her hole, and she clenched around Credence rather involuntarily, making him groan.

“Oh… kitten, you’re close aren’t you?”

“Yes Daddy…”

“Go on. Come for us.”

Credence keened low, and Tina felt his cock pulsing deep inside her, so she gripped him harder, rhythmically using her muscles to milk him completely, while Percy murmured low, casting a charm to aid him pressing a fingertip over her hole, and then dip it inside.

She wondered if Credence would be able to feel it against his cock.

“Oh kitten, you’re still hard.”

Impossibly, he was, and Tina suspected Percy of meddling, but she wasn’t going to complain, she was comfortably full at the moment, she could only imagine how it would feel once he was inside her too.

Another whispering of a spell, and instantly Percy’s finger became cooler, aided with more slick, and he was easing a second one inside, his other hand moving around to rub over her clit, making her body jolt, as another climax slowly began to build, helped along by Credence’s cock embedded deep, nudging her sensitive walls with every movement.

“Sugar, you’re so tight, I’m afraid I won’t last very long.”

He was right behind her, rutting against her ass, and Tina had to bite her lip to stifle a whimper. He felt  _ very _ hard, and she was as ready as she’d ever be, so she arched her back, and leaned down over Credence, trying to beg him without a word.

It didn’t really work.

“What would you like me to do?”

“Fuck me.”

She felt Credence twitch inside her, and his arms wrapped around her back, holding her close, bent over him, so she kissed his cheek, daringly licking away a tear track, and then nipping at his ear.

“Okay Cree?”

She asked him in a low whisper, and he nodded minutely, making her smile.

“Okay.”

The head of Percy’s cock pressed over her rim, and she tensed up all over again, despite the charms, until one of his hands petted down her back, caressing the length of her spine,

“Shh-hh, it’s alright sugar. I’ve got you.”

She hummed, and closed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe deeply, as he began to push in, inch by inch, much more cautiously than when he would fuck her cunt.

He leaned over her, and she thought she had been full before, just with Credence and then Percy’s fingers, but that was nothing, now she was being gently split in half, divided between her lovers with the utmost of care, and even his mouth against her shoulder, her neck, a nip, a mark, nothing could quite distract.

“I can feel you Daddy. I feel you against me.”

“Yes kitten, I know. I’m going to move now. Hold on to her.”

To keep her from trying to rock back, forcing him to have to retreat, or what, she wasn’t sure. But the slow  _ drag _ of friction was maddening, and at the same time not enough. Credence whimpered again, and shifted his hips, bumping against her clit, making her gasp, and Percy groaned,

“Fuck. That was good. Do it again to her, kitten. Please.”

“Daddy…”

Credence was crying again, tears escaping his tightly shut eyes and Tina cooed at him, she couldn’t help it really.

“It’s okay. Does it feel good?”

“Mhm, very.”

He moved again, a little abortive thrust, and Tina hissed out a breath as Percy did the same, fully inside her now, leaving her somewhat trapped between them, desperate to come. Percy’s hands were gripping her waist, hard enough to leave bruises, and she reacted by clenching around him again, purposefully, making him groan.

“Fuck. I’m gonna come if you do that-”

Percy inhaled sharply, and shifted back, sliding in again one more time, before shuddering against her, warmth blooming through her, collapsing over her back for good, and his hips stilled, keeping his cock buried inside her.

“God… can I pull out? I need to move…”

Credence was pleading, and Tina complied, shifting as carefully as she could, lifting off him just enough so he could slip out, and then he was gone, arching his back as his cock spilled up his stomach and chest, wet smears of white.

“You were perfect.”

Tina kissed his cheek, and nuzzled against his neck and shoulder, content to remain there a moment, before Percy gently pulled out of her, and cleaned her without a word. She tried not to pout, she rather liked being filled by both of them, though it was rather strange to think about.

“Well now I’m starving.”

Percy muttered, falling over to lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, panting for air.

“Is that right? I suppose I’m going to be cooking for us, hmm?”

Percy grinned, and shook his head,

“Not at all,  _ sug.  _ Kitten, tell her.”

Tina glanced down to Credence, who blushed, before opening his eyes to meet her gaze,

“I’ve gotten pretty good at cooking, Tina. I’d be happy to fix dinner.”

“Aw, aren’t you sweet?”

“He’s wonderful.”

“Shall we?” Tina asked, feeling surprisingly perky, and Credence sighed, “I guess we have to get dressed again huh?”

Percy snorted,

“Were you expecting us to dine naked, my boy?”

“No! I just… like looking at you.”

Tina traced a hand over the boy’s bare chest, and watched his nipples peak,

“Oh I agree. I just think, for safety. In case someone should glance in the window, or come to the door…”

Percy quirked a brow,

“I’m not expecting anyone…”

Tina ducked her head,

“I might have told Queenie to come looking for me if I wasn’t home by dusk. I just…. Didn’t think I’d be out that long.”

Percy groaned and rolled his eyes when about five seconds later, something chimed, and there was a knock on the door.

“Goddamnit.”

Credence cursed, and Tina gaped at Percy.

“Who taught him that?”

“Don’t look at me!”

 

 

 

_ “Teenie? Are you in there?” _

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

**end**


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